Europa
Sevilla claims seventh Europa League trophy after beating As Roma on shootouts
Sevilla 1-1 As Roma (4-1 pens)
In a thrilling penalty shootout at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Sevilla clinched their record-extending seventh Europa League title by defeating Roma 4-1.
Gonzalo Montiel, known for his winning penalty in the World Cup final for Argentina, stepped up to convert the decisive spot-kick.
This victory denied Roma manager Jose Mourinho to his first loss in a European final, having previously triumphed on five occasions.
“I have to fight for these lads and therefore not say objectively that I will remain,” Mourinho told Sky Italy in the aftermath of the defeat. “I lost this one, but I return home prouder than ever this time.”
The match was fiercely contested, with more yellow cards shown to coaching and technical staff in the respective dugouts than to players. After Gianluca Mancini’s own goal canceled out Paulo Dybala’s well-executed opener, the game went into extra time, ultimately leading to Sevilla’s triumph in the penalty shootout.
Both Roma and Sevilla have faced challenges in their domestic campaigns, with Sevilla even battling relegation fears until recently. However, it is in continental competitions where Sevilla truly excel.
The match took an intense turn when Dybala received Mancini’s superbly threaded pass, allowing the ball to glide across his body before expertly finding the far corner of the net with his favored left foot (35).
Virgil van Dijk has heaped praise on Darwin Nunez for his standout performance in Liverpool’s recent Europa League match against LASK.
Nunez played a pivotal role in the match as Liverpool found themselves trailing 1-0, but Nunez’s contribution turned the tide in their favor, ultimately leading to a 3-1 victory.
Nunez’s crucial moment came in the form of a penalty kick in the second half. Just before Nunez stepped up to take the penalty, Virgil van Dijk briefly held the ball and appeared as though he might take the spot-kick himself. This momentary delay allowed Nunez to maintain his composure and focus on the task at hand.
Van Dijk also emphasized the significance of the mental aspect of these high-pressure moments in matches, highlighting the importance of maintaining one’s composure and mental fortitude when facing critical situations.
He said: “You have to make sure you protect at least the penalty spot. It’s a bit of a mind game there – maybe they were going to try and get in your head.
“It was always the plan that Darwin was going to take it, and I’m glad he scored.”
Van Dijk additionally added that Nunez is beginning to show the world what’s really going on with him:
“Darwin was very important for us against LASK and long may it continue. Up front, the competition is quite good.”
“They all have to push each other and it’s good to see. Everyone has a role to play whether you start or not. Everyone has now seen the potential and the quality he has.”
Liverpool has secured qualification for the 2023/24 Europa League after finishing in fifth place in the Premier League.
As a result, they will be placed in Pot 1 for the group stage draw, which is scheduled to take place in August.
In the group stage, Liverpool will be drawn against teams from Pots 2, 3, and 4. However, no two clubs from the same country can be drawn in the same group.
The teams in each pot are as follows:
Pot 1:
- Liverpool
- West Ham
- AS Roma
- Villarreal
- Bayer Leverkusen
- Atalanta
Pot 1 or 2:
- Sporting CP
- Rennes
Pot 2 or 3:
- Real Betis
Pot 2, 3, or 4:
- Brighton
- Freiburg
- Toulouse
Pot 1, 2, 3, or 4:
- 4 losers of Champions League third qualifying round (League Path)
- 4 losers of Champions League play-off round (Champions Path)
- 2 losers of Champions League play-off round (League Path)
- 10 play-off round winners
Despite finishing seventh in La Liga last season and qualifying for the Europa Conference League, Osasuna has been banned from participating in the competition following an internal investigation by UEFA.
The investigation was prompted by Osasuna’s previous link to match-fixing, which occurred around a decade ago.
In January, members of Osasuna’s previous board were convicted of various charges, including misappropriation, accounting crime, falsification of documents, and sports corruption.
However, Osasuna is reportedly planning to appeal against the ban, according to reports from Football Espana.
If the ban is upheld, Athletic Club, who finished eighth in La Liga, could potentially take Osasuna’s place in the Europa Conference League.
The final decision on the matter is yet to be determined.
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