© EuroFootball.com
Winners of last season's UEFA Cup announced that the victory on Saturday with a score of 2-1 against Madrid's "Real" is proof that this year the team can compete for the Spanish champion title.
"We are competing with two of the best teams in the league - "Barcelona" and Madrid's "Real" - and we are proving that we are just as capable as they are," said "Sevilla" coach Juande Ramos at a press conference after Saturday's match. "If we can maintain this form, we have a good chance to fight for the title."
In Saturday's match, the UEFA Cup winners fell behind after a penalty kick by David Beckham, but later scored goals by Frederic Kanoute and Ernesto Chevanton.
With this victory, "Sevilla" not only ended "Real's" streak of four consecutive wins in the Spanish championship, but also extended their one hundred percent home victory streak this season. By earning three points, Sevilla's players returned to second place in the standings, trailing leaders "Barcelona" by just two points.
"We proved that we are the only ones capable of keeping up with 'Barcelona,' who are currently unstoppable," said "Sevilla" president Jose Maria del Nido. "We started the season fantastically."
Next in the Spanish championship, "Sevilla" will play this weekend against local team "Recreativo" in Huelva, currently in sixth place in the Spanish championship. However, before that, Sevilla's club will play UEFA Cup group stage matches against Alkmaar's "AZ" on Thursday.
