BUDAPEST: Europa League thoroughbreds Sevilla worked their magic yet again to beat AS Roma 4-1 on penalties on Wednesday and lift the trophy for a record-extending seventh time, handing Roma boss Jose Mourinho his first defeat in six European finals.

After an unspectacular match ended 1-1 after extra time, Sevilla ruthlessly punished the Italians in the shootout, with Gonzalo Montiel firing home the winning spot kick, just as he did for Argentina in the World Cup final against France.

The defender had missed his first effort but was handed a reprieve when Roma keeper Rui Patricio was adjudged to have come off the line too early and he made no mistake with his second, sparking jubilant celebrations.

Sevilla keeper Yassine Bounou was their hero in the shootout, saving penalties from Gianluca Mancini and Roger Ibanez while the Spaniards were flawless in their own execution, scoring their first four.

“This is amazing, I can’t ask for more,” Sevilla midfielder Erik Lamela told BT Sport. “This feeling is unbelievable. We are going to enjoy it a lot. It was a tough game to play. Roma defend well and it was difficult to find spaces and create situations.”

Sevilla, the undisputed kings of the Europa League, have now won all seven of the finals they have played in the competition, and are well-versed in the drama of the occasion, having seen their opponents score first in the last four finals.

It was a tense and ill-tempered affair from the start on Wednes­day, with Roma defending deep with a five-man backline against Sevilla, who had almost 65% possession but were kept mostly outside the Italian’s crowded box.

The match was tetchy with referee Anthony Taylor dishing out 14 yellow cards, the most ever in a Europa League game, and playing almost 30 minutes of stoppage time in total.

Paulo Dybala gave Roma the lead from a counter-attack in the 35th minute but Sevilla then took control of the game and found the equaliser thanks to an own-goal by Mancini in the 55th minute.

Sevilla dominated the match after that but Roma had the better chances from counter-attacks and set-pieces, including a Chris Smalling header that hit the crossbar in the 10th minute of added time in extra time.

DIFFICULT SEASON

Sevilla maintained their incredible record in the competition after an otherwise difficult season.

The 62-year-old Jose Luis Mendilibar was appointed in March when Sevilla fired two managers and were languishing in the bottom half of La Liga.

Their run to the final saw them beat PSV Eindhoven, Fenerbahce and Manchester United before downing Juventus in the semis.

It was the third consecutive Europa League final that ended in a penalty shootout.

The win means Sevilla will com­pete in next season’s Cham­pions League despite finishing outside the top four in the La Liga.

Mourinho led Roma to the inaugural Europa Conference League title, becoming the first coach to win all the European trophies.

Losing was clearly a painful experience for the Portuguese who handed his runners-up medal to a fan in the stand after the presentation.

“That’s what I did, I don’t want silver medals. I don’t keep silver medals, so I gave it away,” he told Movistar. “We felt pressure against a team that has more talent than us. We lost a game but not dignity. I’ve never gone home prouder than today, even when I won.”

Such a defeat is a new experience for Mourinho, 60, who had won all five of his previous major European finals.

“I’m too tired to do the job as a trainer, as a spokesman of the club, to fight every time,” the Portugese said in the immediate aftermath of the defeat.

Dybala repaid Mourinho’s gamble on his fitness in the 35th minute when he latched onto Mancini’s through ball from the centre circle, coolly slotting his shot past Bounou.

Mendilibar brought on forwards Suso and Lamela for Oliver Torres and Bryan Gil at the break and the Spanish side began the second period on the front foot.

They were level after 10 minutes when Mancini bundled a Jesus Navas cross from the right into his own net from close range.

Roma seemed certain to re-take the lead against the run of play midway through the second half but the Sevilla defenders somehow scrambled the ball away after several stabs at goal from close range.

Extra-time was largely uneventful as tempers flared between the two benches.

Published in Dawn, June 2nd, 2023