Author: Soorya G
Two of the season’s most impressive teams will take their squads to the Europa League summit clash, just after the majority of Europe’s top flight leagues come to a close at the weekend. Legendary coach José Mourinho, who resurrected a struggling Roma side, will be looking to lift his second European trophy in as many years, having led his team to glory in the inaugural edition of the UEFA European Conference League last year. With this, Mourinho became the only coach to win three European Cups during his career, having won the Champions League twice with Porto and Inter Milan and the Europa League with Manchester United.
Even if you only consider his impressive trophy collection, Mourinho is definitely one of the greatest managers soccer has ever seen. What makes the Portuguese player even more “special” is the fact that he has had an incredible longevity, winning European finals in three different decades. He’ll be looking forward to adding to his already overflowing trophy cabinet on June 1, when Roma face the mighty Sevilla, winners of the Europa League.
On the other hand, Spanish champions Sevilla will be looking to extend their dominance in the Europa League with their seventh title. The Spaniards had already won the title in 2019/20, beating Inter in the final, after three victories between 2013/14 and 2015/16. Despite their shaky form in La Liga, where they were firmly lodged in the relegation spots for a significant part of the season, Atlético Madrid had a lacklustre campaign in the Europa League after exiting at the group stage of the Champions League. Sevilla managed to knock out Fenerbahce, before beating title favorites Manchester United in the quarter-finals and then overcoming Massimilano Allegri’s Juventus in the semi-finals.
Roma didn’t have an easy road to the final either, having first beaten Real Sociedad in a fairly comfortable result. Roma overcame a 1-0 deficit in the first leg against Feyenoord to win 4-1 in the second leg before eliminating Xabi Alsonso’s Bayer Leverkusen in the semi-finals. Alonso, who previously played under Mourinho at Real Madrid, earned a huge reputation in his first season in charge, as the Portuguese coach praised him as a coach with “very high knowledge”. So an interesting final is shaping up in the Europa League, and a mouth-watering contest is on the horizon.
Team news
Both teams are currently dealing with some injury problems, most of which they hope will be resolved in time for the high-octane clash at the Puskas Arena in Budapest. Argentina’s World Cup winner Alejandro Papu Gomez is set to return to action, while Joan Jordan and Tanguy Nianzou could miss out. For Roma, Paulo Dybala will be a big loss, and they hope that Gini Wijnaldum and Leonardo Spinazzola will be fit in time for the important game.
Expected line-ups:
AS Roma: Rui Patricio; Ibanez, Cristante, Mancini; Celik, Bove, Matic, Pellegrini, Spinazzola; Belotti, Abraham;
Sevilla: Bono; Navas, Bade, Gudelj, Telles; Fernando, Rakitic; Ocampos, Torres, Gomez; En-Nesyri;
Main participants
Goalkeeper Yassine Bono will be one of the most important players from Sevilla’s point of view. The Moroccan goalkeeper has been in fine form for both club and country and has emerged as one of Sevilla’s unsung heroes this season. Bono only gained due recognition after his stellar campaign at the 2022 World Cup with Morocco, when his nation became the first African country to reach the semi-finals of the tournament. Against a dangerous Roma attack featuring the likes of Tammy Abraham and Andrea Belotti, Bono’s timely interventions could be the contribution that gives Sevilla their seventh title.
Leonardo Spinazzola will be a key figure for Roma in Budapest. The Italian full-back has been sensational this season, both as a defender and in attack, actively contributing to Roma’s attacking sequences. Spinazzola has five assists in the league this season, the most by a Roma player after Paulo Dybala, whose absence will be a big blow. Mourinho expects Spinazzola to deliver another top-level performance, which will guarantee Roma’s entry into the Champions League next season, despite finishing outside the top four in Serie A.
Predictions: Roma win
Despite Sevilla’s dominance, Mourinho’s experience in decisive games puts the game in Roma’s favor.
Abraham to score
The Englishman hasn’t had a good season, after a fantastic campaign last year. He will try to make amends and, at the same time, set the tone for next season.
Jesus Navas to shine
The player was a key player in Sevilla’s European campaign and will be difficult to deal with due to his experience and extraordinary ability.