{"id":17187,"date":"2026-05-05T11:36:10","date_gmt":"2026-05-05T11:36:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/17187\/"},"modified":"2026-05-05T11:36:10","modified_gmt":"2026-05-05T11:36:10","slug":"laliga-sevilla-coach-defends-akor-adams-snub-as-ejuke-powers-sevilla-past-sociedad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/17187\/","title":{"rendered":"LALIGA: Sevilla Coach defends Akor Adams’ snub as Ejuke powers Sevilla past Sociedad"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sevilla head coach Garc\u00eda Plaza has firmly backed his selection calls after leaving Akor Adams on the bench for a second consecutive match, opting instead to start Chidera Ejuke in their narrow but crucial 1-0 LaLiga<\/a> victory over Real Sociedad.<\/p>\n

The win, secured by a decisive strike from Alexis S\u00e1nchez, was more than just three points; it was a statement in Sevilla\u2019s survival push, nudging them further away from the looming threat of relegation in a season that has demanded constant adjustment.<\/p>\n

Selection calls under the spotlight<\/p>\n

For Adams, the decision raised eyebrows. The Nigerian striker has been one of Sevilla\u2019s more reliable attacking outlets this season, contributing 8 goals and 3 assists, including a composed penalty against Atl\u00e9tico Madrid.<\/p>\n

Yet, against Sociedad, he remained unused for the full 90 minutes.<\/p>\n

Garc\u00eda Plaza, however, made it clear in his post-match press conference that sentiment and past contributions are not dictating his current approach.<\/p>\n

\"PT<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI bet on Neal, and he scored a goal the other day, that\u2019s all there is to it,\u201d he said, underlining a performance-based selection model.<\/p>\n

\u201cQuality of minutes\u201d over status<\/p>\n

At the heart of Sevilla\u2019s late-season strategy is a shift in philosophy, impact over reputation.<\/p>\n

The manager emphasised that roles are now defined by what players deliver in specific moments rather than guaranteed starting spots.<\/p>\n

\u201cAkor, with me, has played every game; he scored a penalty against Atl\u00e9tico, but right now, it\u2019s not the number of minutes each player gets that\u2019s important, but the quality of the minutes they give us,\u201d Garc\u00eda Plaza explained.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a clear message: no place is secured, and every contribution must carry weight.<\/p>\n

Ejuke\u2019s profile changes the attack<\/p>\n

The decision to hand Ejuke a starting role was tactical and deliberate.<\/p>\n

Sevilla needed unpredictability, directness, and the ability to destabilise defensive structures. Ejuke provided exactly that.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re looking for the kind of situations he creates; he\u2019s very confident, good in one-on-one situations, good at drawing defenders out,\u201d Garc\u00eda Plaza said.<\/p>\n

Unlike more traditional wide players, the Nigerian winger offered a different attacking rhythm, one built on disruption, quick triggers, and isolating defenders in dangerous areas.<\/p>\n

That variation proved valuable, as Sevilla found the balance needed to grind out a result in a high-stakes encounter.<\/p>\n

Survival fight shaping decisions<\/p>\n

This was not just another league game, it was part of a broader fight for stability.<\/p>\n

Sevilla, a club accustomed to European ambitions, have spent much of the campaign navigating unfamiliar territory near the bottom half of La Liga.<\/p>\n

Every decision now carries weight. Every point matters.<\/p>\n

And in that context, Garc\u00eda Plaza\u2019s choices reflect a manager prioritising efficiency, adaptability, and immediate impact over hierarchy.<\/p>\n

What it means for Akor Adams<\/p>\n

For Adams, the challenge is now clear.<\/p>\n

Despite his strong numbers and earlier consistency, he faces increased competition in a squad where roles are fluid and form is king.<\/p>\n

READ ALSO:\u00a0EPL: Awoniyi hits brace as Nottingham Forest beat Chelsea<\/a><\/p>\n

Garc\u00eda Plaza hinted that opportunities will still come, but possibly in different phases of games.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf not, we\u2019ll have Akor for the second half,\u201d he noted, reinforcing the idea of Adams as a potential impact option rather than a guaranteed starter.<\/p>\n

A defining stretch ahead<\/p>\n

With the season entering its decisive phase, Sevilla\u2019s approach is evolving into one built on tactical flexibility and ruthless efficiency.<\/p>\n

The victory over Real Sociedad may have been narrow, but its significance runs deeper, it reflects a team recalibrating in real time to survive.<\/p>\n

And within that system, both Ejuke and Adams remain central figures, just in different roles, for now.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Sevilla head coach Garc\u00eda Plaza has firmly backed his selection calls after leaving Akor Adams on the bench…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":17188,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[1310,9588,179,1311,9589,301,1143,1858,722,109],"class_list":{"0":"post-17187","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-seville","8":"tag-akor-adams","9":"tag-alexis-sanchez","10":"tag-atletico-madrid","11":"tag-chidera-ejuke","12":"tag-garcia-plaza","13":"tag-la-liga","14":"tag-real-sociedad","15":"tag-relegation","16":"tag-sevilla-fc","17":"tag-seville"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17187","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17187"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17187\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17188"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17187"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17187"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17187"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}