Sevilla coach praises Barcelona ahead of La Liga clash – ‘They are the best’

Barcelona are set to resume their campaign this weekend as they take on Sevilla at Montjuic – a game which could witness the return of Gavi to the matchday squad.

With a three-point lead over Real Madrid at the top of the table, the Catalans will be aiming for another victory that will further solidify their position as league leaders.

However, Sevilla are likely to offer a tough fight, with their coach Garcia Pimienta determined to take down Barcelona.

Heading into this clash, Pimienta offered his thoughts on Barcelona, while also sharing insights about his past ties with the Catalans.

Garcia heaps praise on Barcelona

The Sevilla coach is aware of the task ahead of him as Barcelona have emerged as the best-performing team in the competition.

He took time to acknowledge Barcelona’s top performances, stating, “They are the best, the table says so. They are stronger with the ball, but they have been playing in a certain way for many years.”

Talking about how Sevilla must approach this game tactically, Pimienta added, “We must concentrate when they have the ball and be solid in defence, without giving up on the fact that when we have the ball, what we want has to happen.

“We want them to have an uncomfortable match and suffer when we have the ball. We have to enjoy defending together and for them to have a bad time when we have the ball because I think we have the arguments for that.”

Pimienta on his Barcelona past

Pimienta joined Sevilla as head coach this past summer, following a two-year spell at Las Palmas. But for the majority of his career, the Spaniard was coaching young players at La Masia.

Indeed, Pimienta served as a coach at Barcelona youth levels since 2001, before eventually leaving the club in 2022, to pursue professional opportunities. He had also played for Barcelona youth as a player.

“I have been there for 28 years, it has been my home. Last season was the first time I faced the first team. I keep in touch with some of the players. Sevilla will go out for the match knowing what we have ahead of us,” he said.

Pimienta on Sevilla’s disciplinary issues

Garcia Pimienta’s Sevilla side leads the league in red cards this season, with four expulsions received so far.

Highlighting the need to act more disciplined against Barcelona, Pimienta said, “They have accepted it so much that a new coach, a German, arrives and they do it just as well.

“I hope that we can hold out with eleven players, compete, be supportive. If we sit back and only defend, the normal thing is that they create chances and end up scoring.”

Source: Mundo Deportivo