Wednesday will mark the start of a new event in world football as Sevilla and Independiente del Valle meet up for the first-ever UEFA–CONMEBOL Club Challenge match.
Sevilla is hosting the game and is considered the favorite in the match-up as bookmaker William Hill has the odds at 1.33 for the Andalusians to win the tie. The odds are at 1.50 for Sevilla to win in 90 minutes. Meanwhile, you can back an Independiente del Valle victory at full-time with the odds at 5.50.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: July 18th, 7:00 P.M. (EST)
This is the meeting between the reigning champions of the UEFA Europa League and Copa Sudamericana, the second-most prestigious continental competitions in Europe and South America. Sevilla triumphed in the Europa League for a seventh time this spring, while Independiente del Valle earned its right to play in the match with the second Copa Sudamericana victory in club history that came last October against Sao Paolo.
The match is almost like a glorified friendly and we can’t expect to see the teams produce their best quality, but it’s definitely an exciting occasion for the players and it should result in a decent match. It could also be far more competitive than the odds suggest, as Sevilla is just starting to prepare for the new season while Independiente del Valle has its campaign in full flow.
The 2021 Ecuadorian champion has just sealed a first-place finish in the Copa Libertadores group stage and also sits at the top of the local championship, having won 11 of 15 matches.
Manager Martin Anselmi has been in charge of Independiente del Valle for less than 14 months, but he has already won four trophies with the team. At 38 years old, he’s a young manager who’s looking to make a name for himself, and taking Sevilla’s scalp would certainly look nice on his CV.
Argentine forward Michael Hoyos is the main dangerman for Anslemi and Independiente del Valle. He has netted 10 times in 13 league appearances this season, adding three assists. The 31-year-old winger also recently scored a big brace in the Copa Libertadores against Brazilian giant Corinthians.
Sevilla has had a quiet summer so far and will continue to work under Jose Luis Mendilibar in 2023-24. The former Eibar boss saved Sevilla’s season last term with the Europa League triumph and will now look for further improvements when the next campaign kicks off. The squad is pretty much the same as last season and Mendilibar did an outstanding job with the group, winning eight of 17 matches he was in charge of and losing just three of them.
