La Liga: Liverpool and Barcelona raid won't slow Sevilla

Unai Emery has achieved three top-four finishes this decade

Michael Lintorn backed Sevilla as they defied expectations last season, and reckons they will follow up with a top-four finish in 2014/15...

Southampton's fire sale was spectacular, but it hasn't even been the most dramatic of the last year. Last summer, Sevilla sold Alvaro Negredo, Jesus Navas, Gary Medel, Geoffrey Kondogbia, Luis Alberto, Jose Campana, Antonio Luna, Emir Spahic and Cala in one transfer window.

As with the Saints, a sudden spiral from top half to drop zone was predicted, yet the presence of one of La Liga's finest coaches, Unai Emery, and inspired signings such as Carlos Bacca, Vitolo, Kevin Gameiro, Daniel Carrico, Stephane Mbia and Beto exposed those forecasts as foolish.

Instead of relegation, the Rojiblancos surged to fifth with a 63-point tally which would have secured a top-four spot in three of the previous five seasons.

They threatened to snatch a Champions League place regardless with a sequence of nine springtime victories in ten as the rebuilt squad hit its prime, a purple patch which enabled an unlikely Europa League triumph, reigning over the likes of Porto, Valencia and Benfica, not to mention neighbours Betis.

Inevitably, that success led to the heroes of the revamped side being pursued. Ivan Rakitic has joined Barcelona and Alberto Moreno is leaving for Liverpool, though there haven't been many high-profile exits besides those, so the reconstruction job won't be quite as arduous.

They have bought well again in Grzegorz Krychowiak (Reims), Aleix Vidal (Almeria), Nicolas Pareja (Spartak Moscow) and in particular Denis Suarez (Barcelona, loan), while Iago Aspas is the latest Premier League-damaged talent that they have taken on a short-term basis with a view to restoring.

Those new additions offered a positive first impression in a 0-2 UEFA Super Cup defeat to Champions League winners Real Madrid in which the Andalusians had bright spells and ended energetically, hinting that they are in solid shape both fitness and cohesion-wise.

Coach Emery, who attracted interest from AC Milan as they sought a Clarence Seedorf successor, is a specialist in both qualifying for the Champions League and tailoring a team to survive the loss of star players.

The 42-year-old - who you forget is so young due to how much he has achieved - guided Valencia to three straight third-place finishes between 2009 and 2012, building on a near miss in his first full campaign similar to the one overseen at Sevilla last term.

That triple podium was delivered despite being shorn of Raul Albiol (2009), David Villa and David Silva (2010) and Juan Mata and Joaquin (2011) in the preceding pre-seasons.

With his current employers able to field an XI that anyone in Spain besides Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid would envy, 4.03/1 looks a gorgeous price on them returning to the top four after five years away in 2014/15.

Recommended Bet: Back Sevilla for a top-four finish @ 4.03/1