He’s still king: Sevilla wins seventh Europa League on penalties

After Unai Emery and Julen Lopetegui (Juande Ramos’s were the first two), Jose Luis Mendilibar This Wednesday, Gipuzkoan blood cells in Nervión’s blood joined the Seville saints. ‘Eight Basque surnames’ put it in front of the mirror and apply it to the football. If Sevilla had one more night to add to their seven-man collection (the third on penalties), for Mendi it was his baptism of victory after a lifetime of stone-breaking for the Spanish bench. Few technicians deserved it more than he did. Or none.

Montiel scores the final penalty

Montiel, the man who won the World Cup for Argentina, was Sevilla’s hero, the author of the final penalty that took Seventh to the Sánchez-Pizjuán showcases. And meanwhile, give the team a ticket for the next Champions LeagueAn extra reward that goes unnoticed as the champagne keeps bubbling, but that matters a lot to the club financially and emotionally.

It was much more than announcing that Mourinho would bet on the five-man defense as usual against his own Roma against important matches. And this finale definitely was. Mendilibar of course worked with his players in the days before the high-pressure training, which is one of the hallmarks of Basque teams, but Sevilla failed to do so.

While the Sevilla attackers were unsure who their couple was in these situations, they were disappointed that Rome didn’t give them the slightest gap to run. This Sevilla is growing like the intensity of their matches, the frenzy of back and forth, and that’s something Mourinho knew and wouldn’t let go.

Dybala beat Roma in final

In short, the party was dressed in garnet; that is, as Mourinho wanted; it was an unbearable sports show. Roma was looking for a minimal opportunity to bite and found it in the midfield defeat to Rakitic. Mancini seemed to catch the ball and serve Paulo Dybala, who was allegedly touched in the final. Aimed control and crossfire to save Bono’s exit. The pure magic of ‘La Joya’.

Sevilla woke up before the break by hanging balls on the field and looking for second games. Rakitic came, the ball hit the bottom of the postwas on the verge of a draw that wouldn’t be unfair at all, but made it to the Sevilla dressing rooms in a despicable manner. The development in those minutes did not mislead Mendilibar, who decided to start the second half with Lamela and Suso on the field.

Mancini scores an own goal

And he justified his Basque coach for bestowing his team with the determination and verticality they didn’t have until then, especially through Argentina. The equalizing goal came from Jesús Navas’ foot in the 55th minute and the immortal, who found the middle of the field, poisoned it. Mancini had already put him in his own goal when you want to calculate its orbit.

Things got even better for Sevilla when the body closed. Dybala raises the white flag Since it was the Argentine who filled Roma with balls in the 68th minute, he headed for the bench. Mendilibar’s team even touched ecstasy 15 minutes after the end, but the referee corrected the first sanction decision as a penalty on the monitor. An action by Ibañez in Ocampos. It wasn’t.

Saving Bono’s hand on sale

Sevilla kept pushing but I can’t escape without delay. And I even thank him for that, because the best opportunity in that episode was signed by Belotti in a rehearsed free kick. Bono’s magic finger disappoints romanista striker and later at the sale, Rui Patricio didn’t let Suso specify what he had.

In overtime, Sevilla was much better, the players’ leg cramps were evident even though there weren’t really clear positions. Especially and suspiciously, those of Matic, old dog. And after Smalling hit the crossbar with a ball, 12 minutes of extra time! Penalties that raised Montiel came. Again. What year was yours and what century was Sevilla’s.