Andrés Castrín stood motionless, staring at the pitch as Osasuna celebrated their dramatic 2-1 victory at El Sadar Stadium. The final whistle had blown, but Sevilla's players remained frozen, some with heads in hands, others crouched in despair. It was a scene of utter devastation for a club that once dominated European football.
Luis García, Sevilla's coach, had warned just days earlier that every match would be "total suffering, a heart attack." He had pleaded for his players to show personality, admitting even he felt fear when opponents attacked. That fear became reality in the 99th minute when Alejandro Catena headed home from a throw-in, leaving Sevilla in their darkest position in 25 years.
"Sometimes football is a real bastard," García said after the match. His team had led 1-0 until the 80th minute but conceded an equalizer and then the winner deep into stoppage time. Nine minutes were added, and Sevilla held on for a draw until the final seconds. But when Osasuna's Moi Gómez crossed unopposed, Catena's header sealed the win.
"I have a lump in my throat," said defender Gabriel Suazo, struggling to speak. "I'll give my life for this club." Captain Nemanja Gudelj echoed the sentiment: "It hurts, it hurts a lot."
The defeat leaves Sevilla in the relegation zone, one point from safety with five games remaining. They have won only once in 11 matches. This is their lowest point this late in the season since 1999-2000, when they were relegated. Now, history threatens to repeat itself.
Sevilla were title contenders in 2021 and 2022, finished fourth in 2020, 2021, and 2022, and won the Europa League in 2023. Yet they sacked managers after each success. Now, under García, they have earned just three points from four games.
García acknowledged the enormity of the task: "Sevilla are a giant of Spain and Europe, no one should forget that." But he also admitted the team's struggles. "We're gutted, gutted; very, very gutted. They're crying; they're in there destroyed. When you have it in your hands, you can't let it go: we're playing for our lives."
The club's problems run deeper than the pitch. A financial crisis has left them with the second-lowest salary limit in La Liga. They spent only €250,000 this season while selling players for €55 million. The boardroom is in turmoil, with former president José María del Nido Sr at war with his son, the current president. Eleven different coaches have managed the team in nine years, including three separate spells for Joaquín Caparrós.
"Someone from your family says 'would you like your grandad's trousers?' 'Yes please, I could use them,'" former coach Matias Almeyda once said, describing the club's transfer strategy.
Despite the chaos, García remains defiant. "We have to win next Monday, no matter what. I'm pissed off, but that's normal: the situation is messed up. This is the hardest challenge I've had. I didn't build this team. But we need someone who pulls them along and if I bow my head now ... We're in intensive care, but we can still come out of it."
