Sevilla v Sunderland round-up: New signing on fire amid Newcastle dig
Sunderland drew 1-1 with La Liga giants Sevilla in their opening pre-season game as several new signings featured.
The Black Cats led through Enzo Le Fee, but conceded in the final minute as Ruben Vargas equalised in the Algarve.
Sunderland are preparing for Premier League football, and this was a promising start as a number of new players featured for the first time.
Mackem News has now rounded up the key talking points from the draw, and there was plenty for Regis Le Bris to dissect.
Habib Diarra impresses instantly
Habib Diarra joined for a club record fee in recent weeks, and the midfielder quickly showed his class against Sevilla.
The 21-year-old joined for around £30 million, and his combination of tidy passing and remarkable work-rate was on full display instantly.
Diarra was Sunderland’s best player in the friendly, and fans will be eager to see more of him soon.
Noah Sadiki shines v Sevilla
Another new midfield signing impressed as Noah Sadiki started alongside Diarra in the middle of the park, and also delivered a terrific performance.
Sadiki’s physicality and aggression were obvious from the start despite the game being a friendly, and his tough-tackling style is sure to translate well to the Premier League.
The 20-year-old joined from Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise in recent weeks, and will be a fierce competitor in the battle for a midfield spot.
Sevilla fire shot at Newcastle fan Sam Fender
While Sevilla struggled on the pitch last season, finishing 17th in La Liga with fans protesting and the club in disarray, they were a fun opponent for Sunderland for their first friendly.
Sevilla’s social media team were clearly aware of the rivalry between Sunderland and Newcastle, which is set to be revived in the Tyne-Wear derby this season, and they took a swipe at Sam Fender.
The musician is an outspoken Newcastle fan, and Sevilla poked fun at him on X, which Sunderland fans loved.
The Spanish side have gone through several managers in recent seasons, and they captioned a photo of their new boss, Matias Almeyda with a chant of “he hates Sam Fender.”
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