Sevilla vs Cracovia: Sevilla lose 1-0 in rain-hit friendly on Cracovia 120th anniversary
Sevilla fall 1-0 to KS Cracovia in a rain-affected friendly as Hasic’s long-range strike decides the match in front of 10,175 fans on the Polish club’s 120th anniversary. The Sevilla vs Cracovia fixture featured the Andalusians’ four new signings in the starting XI and a second-half red card, leaving Luis García Plaza with clear questions on and off the pitch. The defeat underlines the work remaining in preseason preparation as Sevilla return to training and finalize transfer business.
Match summary and result
Sevilla visited the Stadion Marszałka Józefa Piłsudskiego for a celebratory fixture that ended with a 1-0 win for KS Cracovia, courtesy of Hasic’s 30th-minute strike. The goal arrived after a sequence in which Sangante kept Sevilla in the game with a goal-line clearance, but a long-range left-foot effort caught Odysseas Vlachodimos out at the near post. The Polish hosts celebrated amid a lively atmosphere of more than ten thousand supporters while Sevilla finished with a youthful blend of academy graduates on the field.
The defeat was Sevilla’s second preseason loss and came with mitigating factors, including an electrical storm and a raft of absences that limited opportunities for consistent tactical work. García Plaza used the friendly to field four recent signings and to give minutes to a number of fringe and academy players. With transfers still active, the match served as a practical assessment rather than a definitive measure of readiness.
García Plaza’s lineup and tactical choices
Luis García Plaza selected a 4-2-3-1 shape to begin the contest and showed faith in new recruits, naming Odysseas in goal, Juan Iglesias at right back, Sangante partnered with Kike Salas in central defense, and Guridi in midfield. The manager paired Guridi with Agoumé to try to combine physical control and vertical passing from the center of the park. Offensively, the team attempted to build through the wide areas and to supply Isaac as the central forward, but decisive penetration was limited.
Substitutions and in-match adjustments reflected the club’s preseason priorities: to rotate options, to manage minutes, and to observe individual responses under competitive conditions. Several academy players were introduced during the second half and played prominent minutes, giving the coaching staff a clearer picture of depth across the squad. The changes also left Sevilla exposed at times, as cohesion dipped when the storm intensified and conditions worsened.
Decisive moments and Hasic’s strike
Cracovia’s opening goal came midway through the first half when Hasic unleashed a powerful left-footed attempt from around 30 metres that flew into the top corner of the net. The move followed a period in which Sevilla had enjoyed possession and delivered set-piece threats, including a header from Kike Salas that rattled the crossbar. Miguel Sierra also threatened with a low drive from the edge of the box that struck the woodwork, illustrating how fine margins separated the sides in the first 45 minutes.
Sevilla’s best chances arrived from aerial deliveries and set plays, but Cracovia’s defensive interventions and the quality of Hasic’s shot proved decisive. Later in the match Alberto Flores produced a standout save to deny a polished opportunity, and Ibra Sow was alert to clear off the line seconds afterwards. Those interventions kept the scoreline at 1-0, and despite late pressure Sevilla could not find the equaliser.
Weather interruption and second-half disruption
A severe electrical storm and heavy rain dramatically altered the flow of the contest after the interval, transforming a technical friendly into a physical and stop-start encounter. Torrential rain and gusting winds slowed the ball and made passing rhythm difficult, while the refereeing team curtailed added time and attempted to keep the game within a narrow window of safety. The elements increased the risk of injury and limited tactical experimentation that typically characterises preseason fixtures.
Play became scrappy under the deluge, with misplaced passes and contested second balls preventing either side from sustaining long possession spells. The storm clearly favoured the home team’s more direct moments and hindered Sevilla’s attempts to circulate the ball methodically. Coaching staff from both sides were seen prioritising player welfare and recovery as the conditions deteriorated.
Discipline and the red card incident
The match featured a string of cautions across both teams as tensions rose in adverse weather, with yellow cards issued for a series of robust challenges. The referee Sebastian Krasny distributed several bookings throughout the contest, reflecting the physical context and the competitive edge of a commemorative fixture. The most consequential disciplinary moment came late in the second half when Sevilla substitute Oso was sent off after an incident involving the assistant referee.
Oso’s dismissal followed an act that the officials deemed unacceptable and earned the player a straight red, leaving Sevilla to finish the friendly with ten men. The sending-off and the accumulated bookings added another layer to an already difficult evening for the visiting side, and the club will review the incident internally as part of its match assessment and disciplinary procedures.
Player performances and impressions of the new signings
Among the visitors, Miguel Sierra and Sangante stood out for their attacking intent and defensive interventions respectively, each contributing to moments that kept Sevilla competitive. Sangante’s early goal-line clearance was particularly notable and showed concentration and timing against an opponent eager to celebrate on home soil. The new signings — Odysseas, Juan Iglesias, Sangante and Guridi — all completed a first run-out together and offered mixed returns as they adapt to García Plaza’s demands.
Odysseas had work to do with Hasic’s strike but produced routine saves and some commanding moments, while Juan Iglesias combined down the right with occasional forward thrusts. Guridi’s midfield presence helped Sevilla control certain phases when the ball could be moved, but the weather curtailed extended testing of combinations. The academy players who finished the match, including Jesús Cruz, provided energy and a late chance that narrowly missed, underlining the club’s pipeline of homegrown talent.
Logistics, attendance and upcoming preseason schedule
The friendly was staged at Stadion Marszałka Józefa Piłsudskiego with an attendance recorded at 10,175 spectators, and Cracovia used the occasion to mark its 120th year. Sevilla’s delegation overnighted in Kraków and planned a light training session locally before flying back to Seville, with a recovery day scheduled on Tuesday and full preseason work resuming on Wednesday. The club has two further warm-up fixtures lined up for the coming week at home against Córdoba on Thursday and against Ceuta on Sunday.
Off the field, Sevilla continue to manage transfer activity as the market progresses, and the club used the friendly to balance competitive needs with broader roster evaluation. Reports circulating from the ground indicate movement in the squad market, with the club assessing additions and departures while using these matches to measure fitness and tactical fit. The immediate focus remains on injury prevention, minutes management and converting the positives from this trip into sharper displays in the next friendlies.
Sevilla’s 1-0 loss in Kraków highlighted fragile margins in preseason and left coaching staff with tangible items to address in training and in the transfer window as the team prepares for the competitive season.
