Sevilla midfielder Ever Banega. (Photo : Getty Images)
Reeling contenders Sevilla FC (14-12-10, 52 points) is secured of a Europa League berth for next season even after their recent lackluster performances. The team will meet lowly club Granada CF (9-18-9, 36 points) at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium on May 8th, Sunday for a 2015-2016 La Liga season encounter.
Sevilla had been winless in six of their last seven Spanish top flight fixtures, which dropped them to the seventh spot of the league table. Even so, they held on for the final Europa League qualifying slot as they are seven points ahead of eighth-placed Malaga with only two matchdays left in the domestic first division competitions.
Los Rojiblancos lost to lowly squad RCD Espanyol, 0-1, last Sunday at the Estadi Cornellà-El Prat to succumb to their fourth defeat in six outings, via SkySports.
Blanquiazules forward Felipe Caicedo provided the winning goal in the contest for the hosts at the 52nd minute as head coach Unai Emery's men were unable to answer back.
Emery had decided to rest his top guns Kevin Gameiro and Ever Banega during the match in preparation for their Europa League semifinal match against Ukrainian club FC Shakhtar Donetsk, which they eventually won on Thursday, 3-1, at their home stadium.
Meanwhile, Granada is coming off a tough 3-2 victory over middling squad UD Las Palmas at the Estadio Los Carmenes last Saturday, as per Four Four Two.
The visitors posed a threat early in the game as they scored two goals within the first 12 minutes, courtesy of a double from Spanish midfielder Jonathan Viera.
El Grana answered back with two goals of their own at the 13th and 22nd minutes courtesy of Spanish winger Ruben Rochina and Moroccan striker Youssef El-Arabi at the 13th and 22nd to end the first half level at 2-2.
Head coach José González's side then took home the three points in the overall standings with a header from Portuguese defender Ricardo Costa at the 71st off an assist by Rochina.
The win was Granada's second in their last three outings, which moved them up to the 16th spot of the league table, one point above the bottom three relegation zone.
The predicted result is a close 1-0 win Sevilla.
Sevilla starting lineup (4-2-3-1 formation): Rico; Figueiras, Fazio, Kolodziejczak, Garcia; Cotan, Pepe; Coke, Iborra, Banega; Gameiro
Granada starting lineup (4-2-3-1 formation): Andres; Lopes, Lomban, Costa, Biraghi; Doucoure, Perez; Penaranda, Rochina, Cuenca; El Arabi
