It is a competition in which he excels and of which he is more than ever the holder of the number of titles. Sevilla FC won the Europa League on penalties (4 tab 1, 1-1 a.p.) against AS Roma on Wednesday May 31 in Budapest.
The Spaniards, who succeed Eintracht Frankfurt, won this Europa League for the seventh time in as many finals and will qualify for the Champions League next season. AS Roma coach José Mourinho, winner of the Europa League Conference last year, loses his first European final after winning five in his career.
Moroccan Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, voted man of the match, repelled Gianluca Mancini’s second Roman attempt with his foot, then put the pressure and deflected with his fingertips that of Roger Ibanez, who touched the post. The red-and-white club, close to relegation to La Liga just two months ago, continue their wild stats: they therefore remain unbeaten in the Europa League final with seven crowns since 2006, a record.
In the mid-table in La Liga (11th), he is again on the roof of little Europe and in the world of European football. Like this final, the Spaniards have never given up throughout the European campaign, such as against Juve in the semi-finals. They ended up eliminating the Italians after extra time in the return match.
Third in their Champions League group, Sevilla FC successively took out PSV Eindhoven (3-0, 0-2), Fenerbahçe (2-0, 0-1), Manchester United (2-2, 3-0) and Juventus (1-1, 2-1) to reach this final. Despite the opening of the scoring for AS Roma (35th) by the Argentine striker Paulo Dybala, announced injured, the Sevillians continued their siege in front of the Roman surface.
Throughout the first period, the red and whites, pushed by part of the stadium, struggled to enter the last 30 Italian meters, blocked by the very compact defense. At the very end of the first half, Croatian Ivan Rakitic thought he equalized by unleashing a powerful shot, but which hit the right post.
In the second half, the Sevillians continued to dominate the Romans, who ended up flinching (55th). On the right, Jesus Navas, 37 and the oldest player in the final since 2008, crossed towards former Marseillais Lucas Ocampos who missed his recovery in front of goal. But the ball fell on the knee of Romain Mancini, who took his goalkeeper on the wrong foot.
Still dominating in the game and the duels, the Spaniards faced resistance from the Italians who avoided a penalty (77th) canceled by the VAR for a supposed contact on Ocampos. On a free kick (83rd), the Romans were very close to passing in front: Lorenzo Pellegrini found Andrea Belotti on the left of the surface, but the attacker was countered by the Moroccan goalkeeper, author of a superb save.
In an unbridled end to the match, the two teams did not really separate, racing towards extra time, where little happened. Before the fatal outcome of the penalty shootout which therefore crowned the Andalusians. “History does not lie and in the last 20 years this club has been the best in this competition”, warned on Tuesday the Spanish coach of Sevilla FC, José Luis Mendilibar, who arrived two months ago when the Blanquirrojos were close to relegation.