Sevilla great Freddie Kanoute fancies his former side's chances for Europa League glory as they aim to atone for their "very bad" start to the season.
Kanoute remains Sevilla's highest-scoring non-Spanish player in history after netting 136 goals in 290 matches, lifting two UEFA Cups, a UEFA Super Cup and two Copa del Rey trophies during his time there.
The former striker has watched on as his old club struggled this term, dismissing coaches Julen Lopetegui – who is now at Wolves – in October and Jorge Sampaoli in March.
Sevilla have finally settled under the stewardship of Jose Luis Mendilibar, the LaLiga side reaching the Europa League semi-finals where they will face Juventus in a two-legged affair across this month.
Mendilibar's team also sit 11th in the Spanish top flight and Kanoute remains relieved to see an upturn in form for Sevilla, who overcame Manchester United in the Europa League quarter-final last month.
Kanoute, speaking to Stats Perform at LaLiga x Bloomsbury Football League event, said: "There are no other words, very bad at the beginning, they were struggling a lot, a couple of changes of coaches, which always unsettles the team.
"In the last few weeks, they've been improving, winning some important games and, at least they're not in the relegation battle anymore.
"I think they are ending the season quite well and it also reflects what they're doing in the Europa League, so hopefully they're going to have a great end of the season."
Kanoute played in the Premier League for West Ham and then Tottenham before his move in 2005 to Sevilla's Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.
The former Mali international scored 43 goals in 144 Premier League appearances but Kanoute believes there is little difference between two of Europe's top divisions now.
"My record says that I've scored more goals in LaLiga, it's not necessarily harder in the Premier League," he added. "I think it depends on your style. It depends on the kind of football you're playing.
"It depends on your understanding of the game, but I would say there are fewer and fewer differences between the style because football now is so global and you have so much influence from foreign coaches even here in the Premier League.
"I would say personally, where I enjoyed my football the most was in La Liga because that's where I could win some silverware, but apart from that, it depends on each individual."
Postecoglou warns 'no easy or quick fix' for Spurs after Coventry scare
Ange Postecoglou acknowledged "there is no easy or quick fix" for Tottenham following their EFL Cup scare against Coventry City.
Spurs scraped through to the fourth round by the skin of their teeth, having been second-best against their Championship opponents for large periods of the tie at the Coventry Building Society Arena.
Ben Davies had cleared off the line from Haji Wright minutes before Coventry took a deserved 63rd-minute lead through Brandon Thomas-Asante.
The Sky Blues looked set to book their place in the last-16 draw, but Djed Spence rounded off a neat move to equalise in the 88th minute then, deep into stoppage time, Brennan Johnson completed the turnaround to snatch victory from under Coventry's noses.
Postecoglou has been the subject of criticism this week after stating he "always" wins silverware in his second season at a club.
The Spurs boss knows his side still have a long way to go, but was pleased by the character demonstrated by his players in testing circumstances.
"We had to just hang in there somehow, and we did," he told Sky Sports. "We weren't fluent or cohesive.
"I have consistently said there is no easy or quick fix to where we want to get to and one result doesn't change that.
"Tonight, we showed what we have been missing the first four games. A little bit of spirit to fight our way and find a way to win a game of football."
Inzaghi content with Man City draw but laments Inter misses
Simone Inzaghi lamented Inter's missed opportunities but was broadly satisfied with their 0-0 draw at Manchester City on matchday one in the Champions League.
Inter produced an impressive performance at the Etihad Stadium, holding the team that beat them in the 2023 Champions League final to seal a memorable treble.
Matteo Darmian and Henrikh Mkhitaryan had huge chances to put the Nerazzurri ahead in the second half, though they were also fortunate to see Ilkay Gundogan miss two golden opportunities for City.
After becoming just the second coach to oversee a clean sheet in an away Champions League game versus Guardiola's City, Inzaghi heaped praise on his players.
"The players did really well, we knew the quality of our opponents, but we worked well and could have hurt them more in some situations," he told Amazon Prime Video Italia.
"In the final third we need to show skill and technique, which we do have in the squad.
"Against these sides like Manchester City and Real Madrid, you always seem like you might be able to score a goal, but then they manage to rescue it."
Midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu, meanwhile, said Inter were determined not to be intimidated by City following their defeat in the 2022-23 showpiece game.
"We wanted to show that we are not scared to play here. We play football the way they do, with sacrifice we showed that we can also play football," Calhanoglu said.
"We enjoyed ourselves against a very strong team and could also have won, but with the right courage and spirit of sacrifice, we proved that we can compete against anyone."
Inter will now turn their focus to the Derby della Madonnina against Milan in Serie A on Sunday.
"It will be a derby, we all know what that means for the club and our fans," Inzaghi said. "They never stopped singing tonight in Manchester.
"We will stay here overnight, fly back tomorrow and try to prepare the match in just a few days."
'I love my team' – Guardiola proud of Man City despite Inter blank
Pep Guardiola was proud of Manchester City's performance despite their failure to find a breakthrough in their goalless draw with Inter, declaring: "We are a fantastic team".
In a repeat of the 2023 Champions League final, City were unable to find a way past a resolute Nerazzurri defence at the Etihad Stadium.
Ilkay Gundogan missed two huge chances at the death for the hosts, but Inter themselves went close to snatching three points through Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
Erling Haaland, meanwhile, was limited to the fewest touches of all 22 starters (14) as his bid to reach 100 goals for City was foiled.
Despite City failing to score for just the second time in 42 home Champions League games under him (also versus Sporting CP in 2022), Guardiola refused to criticise his men.
Asked what he liked about their display by TNT Sports, Guardiola said: "Everything, absolutely everything. We played so good, I love my team, we are a fantastic team.
"Against a team who are masters of defending, we did so, so well. We conceded one or one and a half chances, and you cannot expect to create 20 chances when a team defends so deep.
"When you lose easy balls, it's a counterattack, it's impossible to stop it. We had to be more precise. You cannot always control it.
"We had not a lot [of chances], but they were so clear. It's also the start of the season, these players will get better with a little bit more time."
Guardiola was also asked for an update on the condition of Kevin De Bruyne, who was withdrawn at half-time just four days out from a huge Premier League matchup against Arsenal, but he was unable to provide one.
Defender Ruben Dias was also pleased with most aspects of City's performance, saying: "A very intense game against a very strong opponent.
"We knew what was coming, they're a top team as well, they're used to winning, and we knew we were not going to have an easy job.
"In the end, I think the team had a great performance, we were very close to scoring."
Another huge chance for Inter to snatch victory saw defender Matteo Darmian inexplicably attempt to find Nicolo Barella with a backheel when he had a clean sight of Ederson's goal in the second half.
Asked about that moment after the game, Nerazzurri boss Simone Inzaghi said: "I asked him, 'what were you playing at?', and he said he could hear Barella behind him."
City's next Champions League game is at Slovan Bratislava on October 1, while Inter host Crvena zvezda on the same day.
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