Xerez stun Sevilla in the Sanchez Pizjuan: Time up for Manolo Jimenez?

Sevilla 1 - 1 Xerez
(1-0) 63' Kanoute (p), (1-1) 92' Gioda

Xerez sprung one of the surprises of the season as they scored a last minute goal to cancel out Frederic Kanoutes earlier penalty. They may well be suffering from a chronic bout of injuries, but there's no hiding the fact that Sevilla fell desparately short tonight. Without Luis Fabiano, Jesus Navas and Diego Capel they were already lacking creativity upfront, but when Diego Perotti pulled up with a muscle strain, the situacion was critical. He was closely followed by midfield warrior Dider Zokora and suddenly it looked decidely bleak for a team striving to make the final Champions League place.

Right now that looks like a big ask for a side that is completely bereft of confidence. Alvaro Negredo is struggling badly, a slight worry for Del Bosque as the World Cup looms. The back four is uncharacteristically porous. Errors are even creeping into the previously impenetrable Andrés Palop. At the other end of the spectrum, Xerez showed tremendous fighting spirit to grab a point from a ground where no-one gave them a chance. Leandro Gioda got them the equaliser at the death after a scramble in the area, but truth be told, they gave Palop a fright on more than one occasion during the match, and their continuing fight for survival is really beginning to gather pace. Carlos Calvo revolutionised his team when he came on, and don't be surprised if this nippy lad from Madrid is whisked off if and when Xerez drop down a level. Another man on the move in the near future could well be Manolo Jimenez. The fans gave him a hard time after the defeat to CSKA Moscow, so the pressure must now be at boiling point. A paltry draw at home against the leagues whipping boys will not go down well. And president Jose Maria Del Nido is not a man to pussyfoot around a tough decision.

Sporting Gijon 2 - 1 Deportivo La Coruña

(1-0) 30' Bilic, (1-1) 65' Adrian, (2-1) 94' Diego Castro (p)

Sevilla 1 - 2 CSKA Moscow: Champions League dream over for Sevilla

It was supposed to be a historic night for Sevilla. The first time they reached the last eight of the most pretigious competition in European football. Alvaro Negredo had given them the away goal, and with CSKA Moscow supposedly one of the weaker teams left in the Champions League, the second leg at the Sanchez Pizjuan was a one-way ticket to the holy grail. But they never turned up to the party. One of the few real chances they created was converted by Perotti, cancelling out Tomas Necids deflating opener, but that was a solitary moment of joy on a desparately dissappointing night in Nervion. The Russians were all over Sevilla when they didnt have the ball, and after the countless times they won it back, they were far more astute in possession. Keisuke Honda was an everpresent threat tucked in behind Necid, ably assisted by the stylish Milos Krasic and ex-Betis man Mark Gonzalez. There was always hope for the vociferous home support with the score at 1-1, but as soon as unfortunate Andres Palop (who has been magnificent this season) made an absolute dogs breakfast of Hondas free-kick to put CSKA back infront, they never looked like getting the two goals they needed to go through. The crowd concluded the match screaming for Manolo Jiminezs head, and he only has himself to blame for an overly cautious formation which saw Luis Fabiano horribly isolated in the final third. The manager has never really won over the Sanchez Pizjuan. This limp exit means he probably never will.