Sevilla skipper Navas named Europa League player of this season

Sevilla won their seventh Europa League title last Wednesday at the Puskas Arena after a 4-2 penalty shoot-out victory over Jose Mourinho's Roma.

Several Sevilla players stood out this season in European competition. Youssef En-Nesyri scored a brace in the quarter-final second leg against Manchester United. Yassine Bounou was also the Andalusian side's hero in the penalty shoot-out against the Italian club.

Nevertheless, the UEFA Europa League have decided that the player for the 2022-23 season is Jesus Navas. The 37-year-old is Sevilla's captain and has already won four UEFA Cup/Europa League titles.

"Navas played a pivotal role in Sevilla's 1-1 draw against Roma in the final, producing a teasing cross that Gianluca Mancini could only divert past his own goalkeeper to restore parity, before his side went on to triumph 4-1 on penalties," they wrote on their website.

The Sevilla right-back has been key in Sevilla's Europa League triumph this season as he has had "a passing accuracy of 81%" in nine competitive matches. Moreover, he has provided three assists this campaign.

"I know that 'never give up' is this team’s motto. That can certainly be seen on the pitch. We're a family. Those of us who have been here for a longer time, the veterans, pass it on because this competition made us great," he said.

 

June 4, 2023