Resurgent Sevilla take aim at stuttering Barcelona in top-of-table clash; Real Madrid under pressure to beat Levante

SEVILLA have taken La Liga by storm this season by rising to the top of the tabled and the Andalusians can underline their title ambitions tomorrow when they visit champions Barcelona.

Barca have lost one and drawn three of their last four outings and are undefeated at home in over two years.

Sevilla have not won a league match at the Nou Camp since 2002 but have won their last four La Liga outings. During that winning run they thrashed Real Madrid 3-0.

After going through three coaches last season the club hedged their bets on Spanish tactician Pablo Machin. Machin’s side is built on the creativity of Argentine veteran Ever Banega and Spaniard Pablo Sarabia, while up front Wissam Ben Yedder and Andre Silva have scored a combined 12 league goals.

The addition of Portuguese forward Andre Silva, on loan from AC Milan, has proved particularly shrewd.

Silva flopped in Italy, scoring two goals after a 38-million-euro ($44 million) move from Porto, but he has prospered in Spain. After netting a hattrick on his league debut against Rayo Vallecano, he lies second in the list of La Liga top scorers with seven goals.

With strikers Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez both resting in Catalonia during the international break and midfielder Sergi Roberto set to return, Barca will be confident of turning around their recent mediocre form.

Triple European champions Real Madrid are two points behind Sevilla in fourth, but coach Julen Lopetegui is under pressure to beat Levante tomorrow. | Reuters