The Champions League winner defeats the Europa League champion: After a penalty-kick in Piraeus, Manchester City won the Europa Super Cup against Sevilla FC in front of 33,000 spectators in the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium on Wednesday evening (08/16/2023).
In the 5-4 penalty shoot-out, Sevilla defender Nemanja Gudelj hit the bar with the last of ten shots. After regulation time, the score was 1-1. City coach Pep Guardiola continued his triumphal march: Last season his Cityzens had won the triple of championship, national cup and premier class.
Gündogan is happy with his ex-colleagues
Despite the success, one thing became clear. The departure of Ilkay Gündogan and the long-term absence of playmaker Kevin De Bruyne are apparently not so easy for the high-flyers from the island to cope with. “I’m happy to see the boys partying again”, tweeted Gündogan, who was drawn to FC Barcelona.
New City captain Kyle Walker, who is being courted by Bayern Munich, explained on TNT Sports: “Good teams take advantage of each other’s mistakes. Winning the trophy and putting it in City’s trophy cabinet is a very good feeling.”
Bono in what might be his last Sevilla game
Although Sevilla were clearly outsiders, they started the game with refreshing courage. But the English had the first two big chances. In the 8th minute, Cole Palmer’s sharp left cross landed on Nathan Aké’s head, but Bono made a brilliant save in the Sevilla goal.
The keeper, who is said to be on the verge of a move to Neymar’s new club Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia, was there again nine minutes later, deflecting a Jack Grealish shot from distance just wide of the post.
First chance, first goal
Bono of all people was the initiator of the first real chance for the Andalusians in the 25th minute. With a ball through half the field, the goalkeeper served the powerful Lucas Ocampos, who put Marcos Acuña in the limelight on the left wing. Goalgetter Youssef En-Nesyri headed his flank with maximum force into the lower left corner for Ederson – the 1-0 lead almost out of nowhere.
City continued to respond with plenty of possession and dominance in midfield, but without too much trouble for Sevilla’s defensive bulwark, brilliantly coordinated by coach José Luis Mendilibar.
Ederson keeps City in the game
City struggled to create more scoring opportunities and were lucky not to concede the possible preliminary decision shortly after the restart. After a counterattack again via Ocampos, En-Nesyri reappeared free in front of Ederson, who prevented the 0:2 with a foot defense.
After that, Sevilla became a bit too passive in the forward movement, found little relief and endured one wave of attacks from the Skyblues after the other. Rodri, who had already made the difference against Inter Milan in the Champions League final on June 10, sent a sensitive cross to Palmer in the 63rd minute, who headed in over Bono to make it 1-1.
En-Nesiry misses the next chance
Sevilla seemed to notice that the complete retreat cannot be the right tactic after all and once again set a counter-accent. The protagonists remained the same as in the 50th minute, and the scene of the game was also a copy: En-Nesyri finished after a deep pass, Ederson parried brilliantly.
Both defenses were better after that, and despite constant pressure from City, it wasn’t until the 90th minute before Aké had another chance with a header. The Dutchman couldn’t put enough pressure behind the ball from close range, allowing Bono to save his team on penalties.