Sevilla kept their perfect Europa League final record alive, as they made it seven trophies in seven tries with a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Jose Mourinho’s Roma in Budapest, Hungary, on Wednesday.
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It also makes five Europa League titles in 10 seasons for Sevilla, who have no won Europe’s “other” competition more than twice as many times as any other club (Liverpool, Inter Milan, Juventus and Atletico Madrid have all won it three times each). Despite the fact they will finish mid-table in La Liga this season, Sevilla also qualify for next season’s UEFA Champions League.
On the other side, for the first time in his legendary career Jose Mourinho has beaten in a UEFA final, having won two Champions League, a Europa League and a Europa Conference League trophy in his previous four final appearances.
After the sides combined for just two shots in the opening half-hour, Gianluca Mancini and Paulo Dybala provided a brief moment of quality and counter-attacking brilliance in the 35th minute. Bryan Cristante bodied Ivan Rakitic off the ball, which fell to Mancini, who played an immediate through ball that split the right side of Sevilla’s defense and sent Dybala in on goal. Dybala smashed a left-footed strike past Moroccan World Cup hero Yassine Bounou to put Roma on top.
Roma looked to defend their lead as the second half began, without a shot attempted from minute 36 to minute 67. Sevilla ramped up the attacking pressure (with loads of crosses) and forced a critical error 10 minutes after the restart. Jesus Navas delivered a delicious ball to the top of the six-yard box, and though Mancini positioned himself right side of Youssef En-Nesyri to make the clearance, the ball instead came off his knee and bulged the back of his own net.
12 minutes later, Bounou played the part of hero-in-goal yet again as Tammy Abraham looked certain to put Roma back in front with a slight touch on a bouncing ball inside the six. Only, Bounou put his body and being on the line to block Abaraham’s shot and send red and white shirts alike into a mad scramble before the ball was eventually cleared.
HOW HAVE ROMA NOT SCORED?! 😳 pic.twitter.com/T3eM4cxSIm
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) May 31, 2023
Penalty claims from both sides were denied as the second half went on, with Sevilla initially being awarded the penalty kick after Lucas Ocampos went down in the box, only to have it taken away by video review; Roma were denied initially and again on review after Fernando blocked a cross with his arm.
LIFELINE FOR ROMA AS REFEREE ANTHONY TAYLOR OVERTURNS A PENALTY. 😅 pic.twitter.com/tw2pLxfCW4
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) May 31, 2023
After extra-time stretched from 120 to 131 minutes, penalty kicks would decide the 2022-23 Europa League winners. Sevilla came out on top after Mancini and Roger Ibanez were denied, setting the stage for Gonzalo Montiel to seal the deal for Sevilla, just as he did for Argentina at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Of course Sevilla won the #UELFinal AGAIN. 🥳 pic.twitter.com/f7C4ote5xp
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) May 31, 2023
Stars of the show
Europa League final, Sevilla vs Roma, final score: 1-1 (4-1 PKs)
35th minute – Paulo Dybala darts in behind and finishes expertly to put Roma 1-0 ahead
WELCOME BACK PAULO DYBALA. 🎭 pic.twitter.com/6BMo3BQfDB
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) May 31, 2023
55th minute – Gianluca Mancini redirects cross into his own goal, makes it 1-1
AN OWN GOAL BRINGS SEVILLA BACK INTO THE TIE!
IT'S THE FIRST TIME A GOAL HAS BEEN SCORED AGAINST A JOSE MOURINHO SIDE IN A UEFA FINAL SINCE 2003… 😳 pic.twitter.com/KKCRKbkhYE
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) May 31, 2023
How to watch Europa League final – Sevilla vs Roma live, stream link and start time
Kick off: 10 am ET, Saturday
Stream: Paramount+
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Key storylines & star players
For Roma, it was another subpar Serie A campaign this season, as they failed to qualify for the Champions League for a fourth straight season. However, a victory in Budapest would send them back to UEFA’s premier competition for the first time since 2018-19. Typical to form for Mourinho, as they allowed precious few goals (37 in 37 league games) while struggling to score enough (48) to push higher up the table. Paulo Dybala leads the way with 11 Serie A goals (plus four more in the Europa League, joint-most alongside Lorenzo Pellegrini’s four) and former Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham chipping eight (and one) of his own.
🟨📋🟥
Our starting XI for the final – Dybala starts. 👊#ASRoma #UELfinal pic.twitter.com/UUy0berNIx
— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) May 31, 2023
Speaking of disappointing domestic campaigns, Sevilla sit 11th in La Liga with one game left to play (they can climb as high as 7th on the final day). Three different managers have guided Sevilla this season, with Julen Lopetegui lasting until early October before his successor, Jorge Sampaoli, was also dismissed in March. Also not unlike Roma, it’s been a struggle for Sevilla to score goals (46) as well as preventing goals (52), which is very much out of character for them.
Your #UELfinal 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐗𝐈 ⚔️
⚪️ 7⃣ Changes 🔄
🔴 Bono between the sticks 🇲🇦
⚪️ Telles and Fernando starting 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/AEpMHXqExt— Sevilla FC (@SevillaFC_ENG) May 31, 2023
Sevilla’s Europa League journey
Champions League group stage: finished 3rd (5 of 18 points), behind Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund
Europa League knockouts: def. PSV Eindhoven 3-2; def. Fenerbahce 2-1; def. Manchester United 5-2; def. Juventus 3-2 (AET)
Roma’s Europa League journey
Europa League group stage: finished 2nd (10 of 18 points), behind Real Betis
Europa League knockouts: def. Red Bull Salzburg 2-1; def. Real Sociedad 2-0; def. Feyenoord 4-2 (AET); def. Bayer Leverkusen 1-0
