FC Sevilla remains the Europa League monster: The Spaniards defeated AS Roma with coach Jose Mourinho 5:2 (0:1,1:1) on penalties in the final on Wednesday (31.05.23) and celebrated their seventh European Cup -Triumph – five times in the Europa League. In total, the 60,000 fans in Budapest’s Puskás Aréna experienced 27 minutes of stoppage time.
Dybala made the Romans celebrate in the 32nd minute, before the break Sevilla were unlucky when Ivan Rakitic shot at the post (45 +3). Gianluca Mancini steered the ball into his own goal after a sharp cross from Jesus Navas (55′). Gonzalo Montiel converted the decisive penalty after Ibanez and Gianluca Mancini missed.
Roma’s early first chance
Both teams started more aggressively than expected. After just twelve minutes of play, the goal celebrations died on the lips of the Roma fans in the stadium in Budapest: Dybala had asserted himself on the right and placed it on Zeki Celik. Leonardo Spinazzola took his sharp cross directly from the penalty spot, but shot the ball directly at keeper Bono.
The game, which was preceded by riots between fans of Seville and Rome, became more and more violent in the course of the first half of the game: many duels ended with interruptions due to injuries, all of which apparently had more than a mild outcome. Things looked different in the 31st minute when Nemanja Gudelj hit Tammy Abraham in the face with a high footed save. But on the one hand there was no penalty because Gudelj clearly hit the ball first and on the other hand Abraham was also able to continue playing relatively unscathed.
Mancini served Dybala perfectly – goal!
Roma struck coldly in the 35th minute: Cristante won the tackle against Ivan Rakitić in the kick-off area. Mancini switched quickly and served the starting Dybala with a perfect through ball. His perfect low shot with the left hit the right goal unsustainably.
Almost equalized before the break: Rakitic took a measure from about 20 meters and threw the ball at the right post. Rui Patricio stretched and was lucky in the end that the ball, which bounced inwards, was not deflected into the goal by the keeper’s back or legs.
Sevilla comes out of the cabin stronger
The Spaniards came out of the dressing room with a lot of fighting spirit and acted more variable and stronger from the beginning of the second period. That was rewarded ten minutes after the restart when Jesus Navas smashed a sharp ball in front of the Italian goal from the right. Mancini was unluckily shot and steered the ball into a goal.
Rome does not exploit great opportunities
After a free kick from the right half field, the 2:1 for the Romans almost fell: Abraham poked the ball on goal, keeper Bono parried with a reflex. But the ball that was saved rolled in front of Ibañez’s feet, but he didn’t hit the ball properly (67′).
Less than ten minutes later, the pendulum swung again in favor of Seville: After a contact from Ibañez against Ocampos, the Roman fell to the ground and referee Anthony Taylor whistled for a penalty. But the British referee was right to concede the penalty after Ibañez played the ball to Ocampo’s foot just before the goal.
The next huge opportunity was missed again ten minutes before the end of regular time by Andrea Belotti, who took a surprising free-kick chip ball from Lorenzo Pellegrini directly from the turn, but just failed.
The missed Romans almost had chances followed when Suso fired low on goal from 30 meters in injury time and Rui Patrício let the ball bounce. But Sevilla didn’t put the ball in the goal (90′ + 6′).
Game flattens out in overtime
With the start of extra time, the game flattened out. In the first 15 minutes neither team had a chance to score. In the short break between the two halves of extra time, both coaches – José Luis Mendilíbar for his Andalusians, Jose Mourinho for the Romans – pushed their teams and gave intensive tactical instructions.
Seville invested more than the Romans from the 106th minute – at least that’s how it seemed. But Gudelj missed the goal of the Italians when trying to shoot from a distance.
The players’ strength was increasingly dwindling in view of the warm weather conditions in the Hungarian capital. In the eleventh minute of extra time, Chris Smalling hit the bar after a hedge with a header arc lamp – but Bono would have been there.
Penalties bring the decision
The penalty shoot-out on the curve with the Spaniards’ fans brought the decision in Seville’s favour. Mancini fired the third penalty in the middle, Rui Patricio cleared with a foot save before Ibanez hit the left post. Sevilla had to tremble when Gonzalo Montiel hit the post in his first attempt. But since Bono had moved too early, it was repeated, which Montiel then safely converted. Sevilla celebrate title number seven.