Sevilla, the perennial contenders in the Europa League, once again demonstrated their prowess by triumphing over AS Roma in a thrilling final that ended 4-1 in a penalty shootout.
The victory marked their seventh title in the competition, solidifying their status as the undisputed kings of the Europa League. Notably, this defeat inflicted by Sevilla handed Roma manager Jose Mourinho his first loss in six European finals.
Following a lackluster match that resulted in a 1-1 draw after extra time, the Spanish side ruthlessly capitalized on their spot-kick opportunities to punish the Italians.
Gonzalo Montiel, who had previously scored in the World Cup final for Argentina against France, clinched the winning penalty. Although the defender missed his initial attempt, he was granted a second chance after Roma goalkeeper Rui Patricio was deemed to have infringed by coming off his line too early. Montiel made no mistake with his second attempt, triggering exuberant celebrations from the Sevilla camp.
Sevilla’s goalkeeper, Yassine Bounou, emerged as the hero of the shootout, delivering crucial saves against Gianluca Mancini and Roger Ibanez. In contrast, the Spaniards exhibited flawless precision in their own execution, converting all of their first four penalties.
This remarkable triumph further solidifies Sevilla’s legacy in the Europa League, as they have emerged victorious in all seven of the finals they have contested in the competition.
Notably, in their last four final appearances, they have seen their opponents score first but have managed to stage remarkable comebacks.
From the onset, Wednesday’s encounter was tense and marred by tempers, with Roma adopting a deep defensive approach against Sevilla’s dominant possession, which hovered around 65%.
However, the Italian side managed to take the lead in the 35th minute through a counter-attack orchestrated by Paulo Dybala.
Nevertheless, Sevilla wrested control of the game and equalized thanks to an own goal by Mancini in the 55th minute.
Despite Sevilla’s subsequent dominance, Roma created better chances from counter-attacks and set-pieces, including a Chris Smalling header that struck the crossbar in the 10th minute of added time in extra time.
Sevilla’s journey to the final has been characterized by their resilience amid a challenging season. The team endured a spell in the bottom half of La Liga and witnessed two managerial changes before finding their form following their exit from the Champions League.
They secured their place in the final after defeating formidable opponents such as PSV Eindhoven, Fenerbahce, Manchester United, and Juventus in the semi-finals.
Reflecting on the hard-fought victory, Sevilla’s Lucas Ocampos stated, “It was a Sevilla-style match. We have to suffer to win. This is not easy. What we have with this competition is something that cannot be explained.”
This final marked the third consecutive Europa League final decided by a penalty shootout. Despite finishing outside the top four in La Liga, Sevilla’s triumph ensures their qualification for the next season’s Champions League.
Prior to Wednesday’s match, Mourinho had an unblemished record in European finals. In the previous year, he guided Roma to victory in the inaugural Europa Conference League, making him the first coach to win all European trophies.
The defeat clearly struck a chord with the Portuguese manager, who, after the medal ceremony, handed his runners-up medal to a fan in the stands, stating, “That’s what I did, I don’t want silver medals. I don’t keep silver medals, so I gave it away.”
