Sevilla Preview


By Mark Heys
December 13 2005

High flying Bolton Wanderers need just a point from tommorows game against Sevilla to be assured of qualification from the Group Stage of this seasons UEFA Cup. The Wanderers are currently undefeated in Europe having played Lokomotiv Plovdiv, Besiktas, Zenit St. Petersburg and Vitoria Guimaeres thus far but the threat posed by the visiting Spaniards tommorow evening is perhaps their biggest test yet.

A win for either side would see them finish as the winners of Group H but naturally Bolton are hoping that the points will be going the way of the home side at the Reebok Stadium.

Bolton have no fresh injury worries for this game and are currently undefeated at home since the opening weeks of the season so their continental opponents will have to work hard if they are to get anything from visiting England.

Ivan Campo and Nicky Hunt may once again get opportunities to return to the side after successfully coming through a recent Carling Cup game with Leicester City without any problems.

Mexican forward Jared Borgetti may return to the substitutes bench for the Wanderers despite having found himself out of favour in recent weeks. He could be joined by Khalilou Fadiga who is making steady progress after knee surgery during the start of last month.

Rumoured Chelsea target Tal Ben-Haim plays his last game for the Trotters before serving a one match suspension following a yellow card picked up during Saturday's draw against Aston Villa.

Sevilla have a strong side particularly in the offensive area as Javier Saviola, Luis Fabiano and Freddie Kanoute are all capable of getting a goal of two. For former West Ham and Tottenham man Kanoute it marks a swift return to English shores as the Mali international only left White Hart Lane last summer.

Midfielder Enzo Maresca is another player familiar with English football as he spent two seasons on West Bromwich Albion's books as a teenager before making the switch back to the continent in 2000.

The Spaniards lost just twice in La Liga before the start of December but recent defeats against Deportivo La Coruna and Barcelona have not been the best preparation for them going into this match.

This is sure to be an exciting game of football and Wanderers will push themselves hard to progress through to the latter stages of the competition in front of a packed stadium.

Bolton Wanderers: Jussi Jaaskelainen, Ian Walker, Chris Howarth, Joey O'Brien, Nicky Hunt, Tal Ben-Haim, Bruno N'Gotty, Radhi Jaidi, Ricardo Gardner, Stelios Giannakopoulos, Gary Speed, Ivan Campo, Hidetoshi Nakata, Abdoulaye Diagne-Faye, Jay-Jay Okocha, Khalilou Fadiga, Kevin Nolan, Fabrice Fernandes, Kevin Davies, El-Hadji Diouf, Ricardo Vaz-Te, Jared Borgetti

Sevilla: Andres Palop, Antonio Notario, Pablo Vargas Perez, Javi Navarro, David Castedo, Daniel, Ivica Dragutinovic, Aitor Ocio, Fernando Sales, Pablo Ruiz, Pablo Alfaro, Antonio Puerta, David Prieto, Manuel Blanco, Jose Angel Crespo Rincon, Jordi Lopez, Renato, Jose Luis Marti, Antonio Lopez, Enzo Maresca, Diego Capel, Ariza Makukula, Javier Saviola, Luis Fabiano, Freddie Kanoute, Jesus Navas, Carlitas Dominguez, Adriano Correia, Jesuli, Kepa Blanco

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