Sevilla vs Real Betis: Iheanacho seeking to make history as first Nigerian to score in the Great Derby

Kelechi Iheanacho has gone five games without a goal and an assist for his LaLiga club, Sevilla with fans already falling out with the Nigerian.

The 28-year-old can however become one of the biggest heroes of the club if he scores in Sunday’s Great Derby between the two Andalusian sides, Sevilla and Real Betis.

The 141st derby across all competitions and 54th in the LaLiga have not produced a winner in the last two seasons and if Iheanacho chooses this game to get his LaLiga debut campaign going with the goal that will give Sevilla all three points, the former Leicester City player will become an instant hero.

Sevilla will host the first meeting between the two bitter rivals at the 42,714 seat Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, the ninth-largest stadium in Spain and the third largest in Andalusia, and the White and Red are expected to secure all three points but recent history points to another draw.

Sevilla and Betis have drawn their last four official matches.

Iheanacho and his Nigerian compatriot at Sevilla, Chidera Ejuke will be playing in their first Great Derby and, if they both play, will be the second and third Nigerian to feature in the usually feisty affair after Finidi George who starred for Real Betis in the 1990s.

Finidi played in five Great Derbies and won just once with two defeats and two draws. He neither scored nor provided an assist.

Iheanacho and Ejuke could make history on Sunday if either scores or bags assists or if one scores and the other bags an assist although the former needs it more as the euphoria that greeted his arrival to Sevilla as a free agent has died down.