Akor Adams was surprisingly left out of the starting lineup as Sevilla FC fell to a 2-0 defeat against Valencia CF, with head coach Matías Almeyda later revealing his decision was influenced by the striker’s previous performance.
Coming into the fixture, Adams had been one of Sevilla’s most reliable attacking outlets, registering seven goals and three assists in 24 appearances and establishing himself as a key figure since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations. His omission from the starting XI therefore raised eyebrows.
Instead, Almeyda opted to hand the central attacking role to Neal Maupay, but the decision failed to pay off. Sevilla struggled in the opening half and were punished before the break, as goals from Hugo Duro and Largie Ramazani gave Valencia a commanding 2-0 lead.
Recognising the need for change, Almeyda introduced Adams at halftime in a bid to inject urgency into his side’s attack. The Nigerian forward added energy and presence, helping Sevilla push higher up the pitch and dominate large spells of the second half, but the hosts were unable to convert their improved performance into goals.
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After the match, Almeyda addressed the decision to bench Adams, pointing directly to the forward’s display in the previous 5-2 defeat to FC Barcelona.
“We have three strikers. I’m trying them out to see who scores the goals. I brought Neal back after his injury. I wasn’t happy with Akor’s last game, so we tried to rotate the squad. It’s very difficult to please everyone.”
The Sevilla boss also explained the tactical adjustments that led to Adams’ introduction after the break.
“César came off because he felt discomfort in his adductor. Seeing how they were positioned with a back three, I thought that by bringing on Akor, we’d have a better attacking option. I made the substitution from that position. At halftime, we made another change to try and improve, but we didn’t succeed.”
The result leaves Sevilla in a precarious position, sitting 15th on the table with 31 points from 29 matches—just three points above the relegation zone. Valencia, meanwhile, climb to 11th, moving seven points clear of danger and edging closer to the European places.
Despite the defeat, Adams’ second-half impact once again underlined his importance to the team, and he is expected to return to the starting lineup as Sevilla look to steady their season in the coming weeks.
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