Sampaoli and Sevilla look for solutions ahead of Champions League clash

Sevilla coach Jorge Sampaoli faced the press on Monday ahead of his side's Champions League group game at home to Olympique Lyon on Tuesday evening.

The former Chile coach saw his side lose their first league game of the campaign when they were beaten 3-1 by Athletic Club Bilbao on Saturday night, but said he was happy the Champions League game had come around so quickly.

"It allows you to pick yourself up quickly after a setback," he said, adding that against Olympique, Sevilla would need "precision and patience. We know they are a good side in moving the ball and it may be dangerous for us to try and swap blows with them," continued the Sevilla boss.

He looked back over the weekend defeat and admitted Sevilla were lacking "things in the last third of the park. We need to be a bit more direct and play with more depth, but we are looking for solutions," commented Sampaoli.

However, the coach insisted that controlling the ball was not the instant solution to his side's problems.

"Possession in itself is not efficiency, I think we have to try and cause more damage through having the ball and on Tuesday we will change our system and also some players as well look for a system which allows us to play and win," he concluded.

Elsewhere Atletico Madrid face losing midfielder Augusto Fernandez for the rest of the season as it was confirmed he broke his cruciate knee ligaments during Sunday's 1-0 win at home to Deportivo la Coruna.

Meanwhile central defender Jose Gimenez tore a groin muscle in the same game and will be sidelined for around 3 weeks, meaning he will miss Wednesday's Champions League clash at home to Bayern Munich. Endit