Atletico de Madrid vs Sevilla preview - Negredo worry for Sevilla

Posted Sunday, October 02, 2011 by PA

Sevilla top scorer Alvaro Negredo is a major doubt for Sunday's Primera Division trip to fellow Champions League hopefuls Atletico Madrid.

It had been feared that the 26-year-old Spain striker had torn his hamstring but, although the injury is less serious than first feared, he looks unlikely to be risked for the highly-anticipated clash at the Vicente Calderon.

"He is going to be a doubt until the last minute," coach Marcelino Garcia Toral said. "Under no circumstances will we force the player to play, either tomorrow (Sunday) or later."

Frederic Kanoute, who netted the winner in last weekend's 1-0 home victory over Valencia, will carry the goalscoring burden in the absence of Negredo. Between them the pair have scored 15 of Sevilla's last 16 league goals.

"We are two good teams," said Marcelino. "Winning means we must be at our highest level for 90 minutes.

"This is what we have to try to do - to make things very difficult for them.

"We have enough confidence in our ability. We are in a good place and we are pleased with our progress.

"If we are going to have a difficult time winning at the Calderon, then so are they."

Atletico head into the match on the back of last weekend's morale-sapping 5-0 defeat at the hands of Barcelona.

But coach Gregorio Manzano, whose side drew 1-1 in the Europa League at Rennes on Thursday night thanks to Juanfran's late equaliser, hopes his players will learn from their Nou Camp humiliation.

"The only positive thing to come from that match is that we won't play Barcelona again until the second half of the season," he said.

"Hopefully we have learned an important lesson from that match. Against high-level competition you cannot concede two goals in the first 15 minutes."