We Must Beat Malaga To Show We Are Title Challengers - Sevilla Coach Manolo Jimenez

Sevilla coach Manolo Jimenez has warned his side that they cannot afford to drop points when they face Malaga this weekend.

Los Rojiblancos have been touted as title challengers to Real Madrid and Barcelona this season, and according to the tactician, they must pick up as many points as possible on home territory if they are to keep pace with their rivals.

"By losing the match in Romania [against Unirea Urziceni], our eight game unbeaten streak has ended," Jimenez lamented in an interview with Marca.

"Now we must focus ourselves on a rival who, in the last few years, have got a lot out of the games in Nervion. If we really want to be an alternative to Real Madrid and Barcelona, we cannot drop points at home.

"We must show in every match that we want to be at the top. We are three points off the lead and we have to win, whoever arrives, whether its Malaga or Barcelona. We must go into the game thinking that it will be difficult from the first minute."

The Real Madrid-Barcelona duopoly has been broken up by Valencia and Deportivo La Coruna in the last decade, and Jimenez believes that los Nervionenses can follow in their footsteps this season.

"Sevilla can be a strong force in this competition," he asserted. "We hope that we can see this in the second half of the season as well. Look at when Valencia or Deportivo won the league, Sevilla can be champions because we are capable.

"We hope we are still in this situation in the last two games of the season," he concluded.

Malaga are the Primera Division's basement side with just six points from 11 games, but travel to the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on Saturday hopeful of replicating last season's 1-0 victory.