August 13 – With just a week to go before the official start of the Spanish and Italian leagues seasons, the AS Roma vs Sevilla friendly Friday night (August 14) is the final competitive challenge for both managers to test their new season line-ups. You can watch the match live on Insideworldfootball at http://www.insideworldfootball.com/watch-live-football/17649-as-roma-v-sevilla-18-00-gmt
Sevilla, winners of last season’s Europa League, have had a wholesale change of personnel over the summer and the signs from the UEFA Super Cup in Tblisi, Georgia, this week are that the new team will be as effective as the old.
Sevilla went down 5-4 to Barcelona in extra time, but had fought back from a 3-goal deficit in the second half to square the match at full time. Manager Unai Emery will be looking for his new look squad to return to winning ways in the knowledge they can compete with the best.
Over the summer out went big names Carlos Bacca (Milan) and Aleix Vidal (FC Barcelona), alongside Alejandro Arribas (Deportivo), Iago Aspas (Celta), Stephane M’bia (Trabzonspor), Deulofeu (Everton),Barbosa (Vilarreal) and Fernando Navarro (Deportivo), as well as Bryan Rabello, Javi Hervás, Cicinho,Babá and Manu del Moral.
In came defenders Mariano Ferreira (Girondins), Rami (Milan) and Sergio Escudero (Getafe) and midfielders Gael Kakuta (Chelsea) and N’Zonzi (Stoke City). Sevilla are still in the market for a striker.
In contrast AS Roma have seen less change with their biggest signings being Edin Dzeko, signed on loan from Manchester City this week, and Brazilian Gerson, who will not arrive until January as he will stay at Fluminense to complete the Brazilian league season.
AS Roma manager Walter Sabatini favours continuity over wholesale change. Federico Balzaretti, who announced his retirement at the age of 33, has been told by Sabatini he is staying and will be on the coaching staff.
AS Roma vs Sevilla, Kick off 6pm (BST), Friday August 14
Watch live at http://www.insideworldfootball.com/watch-live-football/17649-as-roma-v-sevilla-18-00-gmt