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Over the past two decades, Sevilla have cemented their place alongside Spanish football royalties. Their name might not often be pronounced in the same breath as Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, or Atletico Madrid, but they're always in the vicinity of LaLiga's crème de la crème.
However, there has been a tectonic shift in their performance standards over the last two seasons, particularly in the league. The Andalusian club was battling to beat the drop in the middle of the 2022-23 season, and while they clawed back into the mid-table at the end, the underlying Gordian knot hadn't been cut. After running through three managers in a single season, Sevilla presently sits in the 14th position.
Club captain Jesus Navas doesn't shy away from addressing the undeniable dip that they're undergoing. What went wrong for a club, that recorded three successive top-four La Liga finishes between 2019 and 2022? Asked by Sportskeeda during an online interaction with a select group of journalists on Wednesday, the 38-year-old opined:
"I think it's the dynamics. Dynamics are complicated. We're a team that is not used to being at the bottom of the table. It's a different situation. It's difficult and at the end of the day, we managed to go up on the table and win the Europa League. So, I think we need to maintain ourselves as a group, maintain our confidence, and continue to improve."
Meanwhile, there have been widespread rumors of the club parting ways with their manager Quique Sanchez Flores, at the end of the season. But Navas insisted that the team has regained stability and improved during his tenure.
"With Quique as our manager, we've been more regular and are gaining more points. I think that it's also very important to improve our position in the table and get as many points as possible this season."
"This manager has got a lot of experience and he helps us a lot in our training sessions. We're all united, and he's a fantastic manager," he added.
"The team sort of transforms when we play in the Europa League" - Jesus Navas on Sevilla's incredible success in the competition
In January 2023, Sevilla were languishing in the 19th spot on the LaLiga standings, just a point ahead of bottom-placed Cadiz. As Navas previously mentioned during the interaction, the team hadn't tasted such lows and looked insufferable. Jorge Sampaoli, who was at the helm at that time, was visibly unsure of the direction ahead.
But oddly enough, whenever the Europa League anthem played out on the occasional Thursday night, the misery fizzled out, and all that was left was the vintage never-give-up belief of the Sevillistas. Whether Manchester United in the quarters, Juventus in the semis, or an inspired Jose Mourinho-managed Roma in the finals, none could stop the Spanish club from securing their record eighth title.
What makes Sevilla inevitable in the Europa League? The veteran right-back believes,
"Despite the years that we had that were complicated, Sevilla managed to win the Europa League. And we had very complicated rivals. It's a competition that has given us lots of success and happy memories. We always give our utmost and this has allowed us to grow a lot. I think the team sort of transforms when we play in the Europa League."
Pride to be part of the Spanish national team at my age: Veteran full-back Jesus Navas
From his hometown of Los Palacios, Jesus Navas made a 35-kilometer-long journey to initiate his life at Sevilla. After over 20 years of service, 500 appearances, eight titles, and the christening of the club's training ground after him, the 38-year-old's legacy is inseparable from the club's.
But his run in the Spanish national team isn't too shabby either. Navas is the only member from the 2010 FIFA World Cup and 2012 Euro-winning team to be still actively participating in La Roja. At 38, he's a bit of an anomaly considering how the winger-turned-defender has continued to reinvent his footballing acumen.
Reflecting on his longevity and inclusion in the national setup, the Premier League winner stated:
"It's a pride to be part of the Spanish national team at my age and to be at the top level. And I think it's because I always want to improve and enjoy football, and I love football. I think that's what keeps me going. I aim to play as well as possible for Sevilla and then be able to play in the Spanish national team."
Without an iota of doubt, Navas is the most decorated player in Sevilla's history, but also his international medals tally is enviable. A FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro, and UEFA Nations League title with his national team, then four Europa League and two Copa Del Rey medals with Sevilla, alongside a historic Premier League trophy for Manchester City, he has tasted silverware in every setup.
But there's one that remains special for Jesus Navas.
"Well, the titles have all been important, incredible, and special. From what I won with Sevilla to what I've achieved with the national team, everything is incredible. Winning a World Cup is something unique. It's probably the top trophy that a footballer could ever win. And I feel proud as a footballer to have achieved that," the Spaniard concluded.
