Month: November 2024

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The Polish Football Federation participated in training sessions at Sevilla FC’s Coaches Academy

Sevilla FC continues to invest in sharing knowledge and being a benchmark in football industry education through its Innovation Center. The latest institution to take part in the Coaches Academy program for coach training was the PZPN, the Polish Football Federation. This participation marks a significant milestone in the exchange of knowledge and methodologies between the two organizations.

Piotr Ciolklowski, director of coaches at the PZPN, expressed his gratitude for the hospitality and experience with Sevilla FC and has recommended the academy as a great way to enhance one’s coaching skills.

“The coaches have taught us very interesting things that we can apply in our context, seeing how work is done in another country or how an atmosphere of growth and development is created. Everyone at the club works very hard to support the first team,” he noted.

“It is a good idea to teach other coaches and help them understand what you do at Sevilla FC, working with players to maximize their potential,” he added about the virtues of the project.

Coinciding with the visit of the PZPN coaches, the Business Academy program also welcomed a group from Poland’s Motor Lublin Academy, who participated in a training session on the club’s business management: “I want to thank all the staff at Sevilla FC for their hospitality. This is our first visit to the Sevilla Academy. We have tried to share new inspirations with our participants, which will help them create their own development plans and become the best coaches.”

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Sevilla FC participates in the 2nd Andalusian Artificial Intelligence Congress

Sevilla FC remains actively involved in numerous conferences, meetings, and events related to technological development, an area in which the club is an international reference. One of the greatest technological advancements in recent decades has been Artificial Intelligence, and Sevilla FC is at the forefront of its application in football. In this context, the club was invited to participate last week in the 2nd Andalusian Artificial Intelligence Congress, held at the Granada Conference Center.

Sevilla FC played a leading role in one of the panel discussions, which focused on the application of AI in football. Representing the club was David López Carrascal, Head of Software Development, who presented the club’s main strategies in this field. AI is revolutionizing the football industry, and Sevilla FC has developed numerous applications in recent years across various business areas to optimize its performance. David López Carrascal shared the stage with Ming Zhao, Director of Digital Analytics at Manchester City, and Pau Madrero, Head of Sports Analysis at FC Barcelona.

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The Prague Raptors participate in the Coaches Academy Program of the Sevilla FC Innovation Center

Alexie Kolowrat, player of the first women’s team and coach of the U-15 team, expressed deep gratitude for this experience: “I hope to take a lot of knowledge back home across different coaching categories. Not just the technical aspects of organizing training sessions and that sort of thing, but also everything outside of training, like recovery and match analysis, and those things we can start to implement in our club.”

The player and coach highlighted the importance of addressing areas that are often overlooked in emerging clubs: “As a coach, it will help me see how to implement some of these things on a smaller scale, but still figure out how we can use them and focus on aspects we hadn’t fully considered before.”

Kolowrat also emphasized the importance Sevilla FC places on details, a factor she considers crucial both for her development as a coach and her role as a player: “It has been very helpful to see the amount of attention given here to different aspects that people sometimes overlook. Here, they focus on every detail, and you can see the big impact of doing the little things right. As a player, it has shown me that you really need to give 100% in everything, not just in football, but also in psychology and everything off the pitch.”

The Coaches Academy program provided Kolowrat and other participants access to top-tier resources and the opportunity to interact with experts in disciplines such as data analysis, physiology, sports psychology, and team management. According to Alexie, this experience represents a unique opportunity to apply what she has learned to the Prague Raptors: “It’s a very enriching experience that they should definitely take advantage of if they have the chance, because the resources here are very valuable, with experts in different disciplines.”

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The Training Courses at Sevilla FC Innovation Center in Full Swing.

The Master’s in Innovation and Technology Applied to Sports is conducted in collaboration with Sports Data Campus and the Catholic University of Murcia (UCAM). It offers professionals from the fields of technology and sports the opportunity to explore the transformation processes of sports organizations based on innovation and technology. So far, there have been notable presentations, such as the one by José María Cruz Gallardo, Head of R&D+i Football at Sevilla FC, on “Law and New Technologies,” and the one by Pilar Morejón, Management Controller at Sevilla FC, together with Jaime Cerdá, on “Data Protection.” Enrollment is still open, although a second edition will begin in March 2025. More information is available here.

The Master’s in Big Data Applied to Football Scouting, meanwhile, has set a record for new enrollments, although registration is still open. Also organized in partnership with Sports Data Campus and UCAM, this program is designed to provide students with the necessary knowledge to excel in a data-driven sports management role. Noteworthy sessions so far include “Data Serving the Scouting Processes in Professional Football” by Ramón Rodríguez Verdejo ‘Monchi,’ President of Football Operations at Aston Villa FC, and “The Role of the Scout under the Guidance of the Sports Director” by Víctor Orta, Sports Director of Sevilla FC. Information about this master’s program can be found here.

Another major new offering this season, which began a few weeks ago, is the Official Football Coaching Course, which has already completed two subjects: Anatomical Bases and Sports Physiology and First Aid and Hygiene in Sports. The subject Sports Training has just started. Coaches from Sevilla FC such as Ernesto Chao, José Antonio Andrade, Manu Sanz, and Rafa Castaño have participated. Further details can be found here.

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Sevilla FC launches its training experience for analysts as part of the ‘Academy Programs’

Sevilla FC, through its Innovation Center, continues to establish itself as a significant player in football education, both in Spain and across Europe. The club has recently launched an immersive training experience for analysts as part of the Coaches Academy.

The Italian coach expressed great satisfaction with the educational opportunity he experienced, as well as the availability to thoroughly understand how all areas of the club operate.

“It was a very positive experience. What impressed me the most was the great willingness of the club to show me how they work here in a 360-degree approach. The experience was very focused on analysis, including both video analysis and data analysis. But they also gave me the chance to observe all the aspects of the club’s work—technical aspects on the field and organizational aspects. I appreciated that a lot because I found great value in seeing how the club operates across all areas. From an educational point of view, this is very important. I learned many things, and I am grateful to Sevilla for this great opportunity they gave me,” he summarized.

Additionally, Negri highlighted the value that Sevilla FC and its analysts place on the use of data, something he wishes to apply in his professional career: “I was very impressed by the importance given to data here, considering that in Italy this aspect is still underdeveloped. Many clubs are lagging behind, even at a professional level. There isn’t yet a strong trust in data, or at least it isn’t used as a support for technical football decisions. This is a great credit to Sevilla, and on my part, I will try to bring this to Italy.”

Lastly, he wanted to send a message to other football and analysis professionals to explore the training offer of Sevilla FC’s Innovation Center: “Certainly, for those who want to learn and discover many things, this is the right place, because there is a great willingness to share information. Without a doubt, those who come here have a great experience and take away many things. Perhaps in other places, there is more reluctance to share knowledge. Clubs tend to keep their knowledge internal to gain an advantage. That’s not the case with Sevilla, as they share because there is a desire to improve and progress. This benefits the entire football landscape, not just a single club.”

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Sevilla FC present at the AI Forum 2024 in Zurich

Sevilla FC, represented by its Head of Data, Elías Zamora, made a notable appearance at the recent edition of the AI 2024 Forum, held on November 12 in Zurich. This forum, organized by the Finanz und Wirtschaft Forum, brought together economic leaders and experts in AI adoption across the DACH region (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland), with the aim of exploring AI applications across various industries, from entertainment to the corporate sector.

In his presentation, Elías Zamora showcased Sevilla FC’s data and artificial intelligence strategy, detailing how the club has implemented a comprehensive AI vision that spans both the sports and business domains. He highlighted the key capabilities developed through this strategy, such as the creation of innovative solutions that enhance operational efficiency and decision-making across multiple areas of the club.

One of the standout applications is Scout Advisor, an advanced platform that leverages AI to optimize the player scouting and recruitment process, developed in collaboration with IBM. This tool enables the club to analyze large volumes of unstructured data, allowing for a more precise and strategic identification of talent.

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The Swedish forward Sebastián Fineman makes his debut with Sevilla FC

Sevilla FC D, the club’s international team, has added a new signing with the arrival of Sebastian Fineman. The Swedish forward has already joined the team’s ranks and experienced his first training sessions under the guidance of Óscar Olomo and his coaching staff.

“I’m feeling great. I’m enjoying the city and the team. There are good teammates and coaches. We have good chemistry. So far, I’m really enjoying it. It’s much warmer here than in Sweden. You know, back there it’s snow and all that during winter, but I like warm weather, so it’s not a problem for me,” he shared about his first impressions at the club.

The player has already set himself the goal of learning Spanish for a smoother integration, although he appreciates the positive atmosphere with his teammates and the coaching staff led by Óscar Olomo: “It’s a big change, of course. I have to adapt and try to learn a bit of Spanish so I can communicate with my teammates. We try to communicate with gestures and simple words, so it’s going well.”

Fineman, who describes himself as “a good finisher and a strong player,” acknowledges that playing for Sevilla FC is a great opportunity: “Being part of this means a lot. It’s a big club, and it’s a great chance for me to show what I can do on the field, and I hope everything goes well.” Finally, he highlighted that Jesús Navas is a source of inspiration for him: “He’s a true club legend, he’s done so much and is the face of the club, and I enjoy watching him play.”