2023-06-01 00:37:18
Eternal Sevilla FC! The Andalusians did not lose their magic in the Europa League this Wednesday evening. Six-time winner of the competition before the final (2006, 220, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2020), a record, the Sevillian club pulled away at the end of the suspense to snatch a 7th European crown at the Ferenc-Puskas stadium in Budapest against at AS Roma. After eliminating Manchester United in the quarter-finals then Juventus Turin in the semi-finals, the Andalusian team got the better of the Italians at the end of the suspense when the score was 1-1 at the end of regulation time.
Yet the latter had a major asset in their pocket with their technician José Mourinho. The Portuguese coach has also been a magician on the European scene for 20 years. The “Special One” had won all the European cups without losing a single final: two Champions Leagues with Porto (2004) then Inter Milan (2010), two Europa Leagues on the bench of Porto (2003) and Manchester United (2017) and the latest European competition, the Europa League Conference won last year with AS Roma. But this invincibility stopped against the 11th in La Liga, which becomes a completely transformed team when it is on the European scene.
Solid, the Romans however start this final better by dominating the Sevillians. A strike from Spinazzola, alone at the penalty spot, is repelled with bio by Bouno (12th). Dominating, Mourinho’s men were rewarded half an hour into the game. Mancini recovered the ball in front of Rakitic and immediately launched Dybala on the left. The Argentinian international deceives Bounou with a cross shot from the left, which flies into the opposite side netting (0-1, 35th). Sevilla FC reacts with its Croatian midfielder Rakitic whose shot hits the left post of Rui Patricio in added time of the first act. On returning from the locker room, the Spaniards find the fault… Thanks to a Roman! Navas crosses towards Ocampos who misses his recovery in front of goal. The ball falls on the right knee of Mancini, who takes his own goalkeeper on the wrong foot (1-1, 55th).
The meeting becomes bitter. The two teams go blow for blow. The Moroccan goalkeeper Bounou works miracles on his line on rebounds from Abraham (66th) then Belotti (85th). It was then his Portuguese counterpart who repelled a final attempt by Suso at the last minute. The two teams, exhausted by their efforts, struggled to get chances during extra time. A header from Smalling hits Bounou’s bar in the 131st minute.
The final, which started in May, ended on June 1 at 12:03 a.m. with the victory of Sevilla FC in the penalty shootout (4-1). The hero is Yassine Bounou with his two saves on attempts by the decidedly cursed Mancini and Ibanez. “It’s magnificent, a first trophy for me after a complicated season,” said Sevillian defender Loïc Badé at the microphone of Canal +. It was a crazy game but we didn’t give up. This victory is beautiful! This success in the Europa League comes with a ticket for the next Champions League and a place in hat one when the draw takes place. Regal!
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