Sevilla in seventh heaven, extend Europa record

31st May 2023. The day history was made in Budapest. Sevilla were the side to overcome their Italian opponents and get the side's record seventh Europa League crown. After a hard-fought battle, stretching for more than two hours, it is the Spaniards who go home from Hungary having satisfied their hunger to claim one of Europe's biggest trophies.

It was a tense first half, with both sides clearly using the opening stages to settle into the affair. The Italian side were just doing enough to impose themselves over the Spaniards in the opening exchanges, but nothing which would have worried the Andalusians. After an opening half-hour exchanging free-kicks, it was Mourinho's men who eventually found the breakthrough. 

Dybala's pinpoint finish off a superb Mancini through ball saw the ball sail past Bono into the bottom corner, igniting celebrations on the Mourinho bench and in the stands alike. This solitary goal set the tone for the rest of the half, with both sides happy to settle until their manager's could get their claws into their respective teamtalks.

It was an inspired Sevilla which came back out after the fifteen minute pause, pouncing to get on the front foot. Soon after this renewed pressure, the Spaniard found themselves level. After a tempting cross, the assist-hero Mancini unwittingly became the villain, helplessly fumbling a devilish cross into the back of his own net.

Mendibiliar's side continued with the pressure, making their coined term "Nadie la quiere como nosotros" ('Nobody loves it (the Europa League) like we do') plain for all to see. After the post was rattled several times by the side from southern Spain, Roma managed to cling on for the chance to end it in an additional thirty minutes. 

Come extra time and Mendibilar's side had evidently settled into the affair, showing just why they are so infamously lethal in this competition. The longer the extra-time went on, the more the Spanish side seemed like coming out on top. However, after nothing separating the two hafter thirty minutes, the fans got their money's worth, being treated, or tortured to a penalty shoot-out. 

This result means the Europa League trophy heads to the Sevillan trophy cabinet, after the Spanish side do what they do best. History made as Sevilla extend their record as the side with the most victories in the competition: 7 and counting. This result of course means the Spanish side will be in the Champions League next term.

 

May 31, 2023