In the blink of an eye, we have arrived at the first month of 2025. Everything is renewed, and the changes and developments of the new year are eagerly anticipated. This is also true for European football, as the second half of the 24/25 season has begun, and all the suspense of this season will gradually be revealed.
The second half of the season is not only about league and European competitions, but also about the cup matches in various countries, which become more intense as the schedule progresses. Recently, the third round of the 24/25 season Spanish King's Cup was held. After the second match day of this round, many top teams including Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Athletic Bilbao, Real Betis, and Sevilla have completed their matches, but their performances were mixed with both joy and concern.
Barcelona, which is currently facing multiple challenges, has dropped from the top of the league to third place. New signings Olmo and Victor will have to leave due to registration issues. However, Barcelona managed to sweep away recent gloom by defeating lower-tier team Bawastro 4-0 in the King's Cup. Meanwhile, Real Betis, Athletic Bilbao, and Atletico Madrid also defeated their opponents to advance to the next round. In contrast, Sevilla's performance was somewhat disappointing.
At 0:30 AM Beijing time on January 5th, the third round of the 24/25 season Spanish King's Cup continued. One of the matches featured La Liga powerhouse Sevilla traveling to face Almeria, the current top team in the second division. Sevilla took a dream start with a goal from Isaac Romero just five minutes into the game. However, Almeria, playing at home, then controlled the match and eventually won 4-1 against Sevilla in the second half, thanks to Milovanovic's goal and Luis Suarez's hat-trick. This victory allowed Almeria to advance to the next round while also marking the first time since the 13/14 season that Sevilla failed to reach the King's Cup Round of 16.
Looking at the technical statistics after the match, both sides could be said to be evenly matched. They were comparable in terms of possession, number of shots, shots on target, number of passes, and pass success rate, with Sevilla even having a slight advantage. However, Almeria, benefiting from home advantage, performed better in seizing opportunities, ultimately leading to this surprising victory. Of course, if we analyze it rationally, Almeria has been outstanding in the second division this season, and securing a promotion spot is almost certain. On the other hand, Sevilla has been mediocre, so it is reasonable for them to win this match based on their strength.
As for Sevilla, this traditional Spanish powerhouse has had a disappointing performance in recent years. In the past two seasons, they finished 11th and 13th in La Liga respectively. After the halfway point of this season, Sevilla has 6 wins, 4 draws, and 8 losses in 18 games, accumulating only 22 points and ranking 14th in the standings, with only a 7-point lead over the relegation zone. This season, without European competition tasks, Sevilla was left with only double-line operations. After being eliminated early from the King's Cup, the remaining time of the season will see Sevilla fighting only for relegation in La Liga.