Julen Lopetegui returned here for the first time and befell the same fate as the men who preceded him. You have to go back 14 coaches and more than a decade to find the last manager to win here after Sevilla were defeated for a 13th consecutive visit. Yet this did feel different and Lopetegui – whose last job ended after 139 days with
Real Madrid – departed angrily at full-time, not unreasonably convinced that his team could have had more.
Sevilla had an opening goal ruled out by the VAR and a wonderful last-minute opportunity for new signing Youssef En-Nesyri flash past the post.