Sevilla dropped to the edge of the La Liga relegation zone after a 2-0 home loss to Valencia, with coach Matias Almeyda admitting he kept Super Eagles striker Akor Adams on the bench as punishment for his display in the 5-2 collapse at Barcelona.
Sevilla’s relegation battle just got significantly more stressful. The Andalusian club suffered a 2-0 home defeat to Valencia on Saturday, a result that leaves them 15th in La Liga with 31 points from 29 games, three points above the drop zone. But the story that Nigerian football followers will be tracking is not just the scoreline. It is why Akor Adams, Sevilla’s top scorer and their most effective attacking player this season, started the match on the bench. Nigeria fans who want to follow the Super Eagles striker’s form through the La Liga run-in can explore the latest Bet9ja promotion code for the best available welcome offer heading into the final weeks of the European season.
Sevilla coach Matias Almeyda made the call to hand the starting berth to Neal Maupay instead of Adams, and after the defeat he was asked directly why. His answer was candid: he was not satisfied with how Adams performed the previous weekend in the 5-2 thrashing at Barcelona, where the Super Eagles star struggled to make an impact as Raphinha ran riot for the hosts. With three senior strikers in the squad, Almeyda said he wanted to rotate and give Maupay a chance to prove himself after returning from injury. The tactical gamble backfired badly.
Valencia, fighting their own corner of a chaotic mid-table picture, took full advantage. Hugo Duro opened the scoring and Largie Ramazani added a second before the break, leaving Sevilla two goals down at half-time. Almeyda turned to Adams at the interval, and the difference was noticeable. The Nigerian brought immediate urgency and physical presence to the attack, and Sevilla dominated possession in the second half. They just could not find the net. The final whistle confirmed the 2-0 defeat, a result that moves Valencia up to 11th, now seven points clear of the drop and within range of a European spot.
Almeyda’s Explanation and What It Means for Adams
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Almeyda laid out his thinking plainly. He acknowledged that having three strikers gives him options, and that he wanted to reward Maupay’s return from injury with game time. He also confirmed that another Sevilla forward, identified only as Caesar, was withdrawn during the game after feeling discomfort in his adductor, which forced Almeyda to shift his substitution plans. The coach was direct about Adams: he was unhappy with the Nigerian’s output against Barcelona and chose to use the Valencia fixture to rotate. It backfired, but Almeyda framed it as part of a competitive process within his squad.
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Adams came into this season as arguably the most promising Nigerian centre-forward operating in Spain. His tally of seven goals and four assists in 23 appearances makes him Los Nervionenses’ top scorer. He has been particularly effective since returning from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, and his second-half cameos against Valencia showed exactly why Almeyda was wrong to leave him out from the start. When Adams is on the pitch, Sevilla look a different side.
Sevilla’s Survival Fight Has No Room for Mistakes
With nine games remaining, Sevilla’s situation demands consistency. Three points above the drop zone sounds comfortable enough, but in a tightly packed La Liga table, a couple of bad results can change everything very quickly. Almeyda has now publicly acknowledged that Adams is a key part of his plans and will almost certainly restore him to the starting lineup for their next fixture. The Adams-Maupay debate appears settled, at least for now. FootballInNigeria.com.ng will provide full coverage as Sevilla’s survival bid continues. New Bet9ja users backing the Super Eagles star through the La Liga run-in can find out more about Bet9ja’s referral code and additional bonuses available to new accounts.
📌 Did You Know?
- Akor Adams began his professional career at Norwegian club Lillestrom before moving to France with Montpellier, where he established himself enough to earn a move to La Liga with Sevilla.
- Sevilla hold the record for the most UEFA Europa League titles of any club in history, with seven wins in the competition, though their domestic form has been inconsistent in recent seasons.
- Matias Almeyda, Sevilla’s current coach, is an Argentine who had a distinguished playing career including winning the FIFA World Cup with Argentina in 1994 and is known for his high-intensity coaching style.
- Valencia’s Largie Ramazani, who scored in this match, is a Belgian international of Congolese descent who was released by Manchester United as a youth player before rebuilding his career in Spain.
- The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, which Akor Adams returned from before his strong run of form with Sevilla, was a particularly demanding tournament for players who had to integrate back into club football quickly after the competition ended.
- Sevilla’s Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan has a capacity of approximately 43,000 and is considered one of the most atmospheric grounds in Spanish football, making their failure to protect a home lead even more damaging for morale.
- Neal Maupay, who started in place of Adams, is a French striker with extensive Premier League experience from his time at Brighton and Everton before moving to Spain.
