Sevilla expands its hegemony, overthrows Mourinho’s Roma and wins the Europa League for the seventh time – 05/31/2023 – Sports

The Europa League, once again, belongs to Sevilla. This Wednesday (31), the Spanish team further isolated itself as the biggest winner of the second main competition on the continent, by defeating Roma in the final and taking home the trophy for the seventh time.

After a draw in normal time, 1 to 1, and an extension that had 11 minutes of added time, the decision dragged on until penalties, when the Spaniards won by 4 to 1.

The Argentine Montiel, the same one who scored Argentina’s last goal in the World Cup final against France, in Qatar, was also the one who closed the scoring for the Spaniards.

In regular time, the also Argentinean Dybala opened the scoring in the first half and the Italian defender Mancini, against, left everything the same in the second stage. The defender would still be marked by also missing a penalty in the penalty shootout, preventing Roma from keeping the unprecedented cup after having taken the lead on the scoreboard.

Although it has not escaped what it presented throughout the competition, Roma did not just “park a bus” in front of the defense, as Mourinho himself often says about how he creates a defensive block.

The Italian team also had more initiative to seek the goal. Before Paulo Dybala opened the scoring, with a beautiful goal in the 34th minute, Spinazzola required a good save from Moroccan goalkeeper Bounou. And there was also a claim for a penalty, allegedly suffered by Abraham, but the referee did not consider a foul in a dispute between him and defender Gudelj.

It was only in the stoppage time of the first half that Sevilla built a good play, when Rakitic received the ball at the entrance to the penalty area, kicked hard and hit the post.

After the break, however, the Spanish team not only balanced the match but also started to control the game with more offensive volume, in addition to preventing the opponent’s advance. And it didn’t take long to find the tie. At 10 minutes, Mancini sent against his own goal after a cross and left everything the same.

While Mourinho asked his players to calm down, Sevilla grew in the match. And he almost had the chance to turn the game around in the 29th minute, when the referee awarded a penalty by Brazilian Ibãnez to Ocampos. But, after reviewing the bid in the video, Englishman Anthony Taylor canceled his appointment.

With both teams less willing to risk after that, the match dragged on for much of extra time. Only in the endless stoppage time of the second half, Chris Smalling almost gave the Italian team the victory, but the defender headed the ball into the crossbar.

After ninety minutes of regulation, two periods of overtime and 11 minutes of extra time, the match was defined on penalties, when the Spanish team won.

Before Sevilla’s consecration, the Europa League final was also marked by confusion around the Puskás Arena, where fans from Rome, Sevilla and Hungarian teams got involved in a fight in the streets of Budapest. According to the AFP agency, three people were injured.

According to local police, an inquiry was opened for “hooliganism” and seven Poles were detained. Profiles tracking the activities of the ultras, Europe’s organized supporters, indicate that groups from Ferencvaros, one of Hungary’s biggest teams, and Poland’s Slask Wroclaw, attacked Sevilla fans.