Five things to know ahead of the Europa League final

As we gear up for an enticing Europa League final between Sevilla and Roma (live on Showmax Pro, courtesy of SuperSport), here’s all you need to know before the final in Budapest.

Sevilla’s love affair with the Europa League

Here’s a tip if you’re ever in a pub quiz. If any question starts with “Who won the Europa League in…” then the answer is most probably Sevilla.

If they win in this final, it’ll be their seventh title – more than double the tally of all the other clubs in joint-second place on that all-time Europa League winners list.

Their last win was in 2020, where they also beat Italian opposition in the final (Inter Milan on that occasion). Remarkably, they have never lost a final in this tournament.

They’ve already beaten Italian opposition in Juventus during the tournament, who are better than Roma on paper at least.

You can ignore Sevilla’s form throughout the season as the Europa League makes them rise above themselves.

Mourinho trying to maintain a hundred-percent UEFA finals record

Twenty years since his first European final in this very tournament (under its previous guise of the UEFA Cup), Jose Mourinho will experience his sixth this week, having won all of his previous five.

There were back-to-back seasons of European success with Porto when they beat Celtic in the UEFA Cup final, followed by a win against Monaco in the UEFA Champions League final.

His third European trophy was won with Inter Milan where he will always be revered as a club hero after guiding them to victory in the Champions League final against Juventus in 2010.

Then he tasted Europa League success in his first season at Manchester United when they beat Ajax in 2017, and last season, he won the inaugural Europa Conference League final with Roma when they defeated Feyenoord.

It might not always be pretty under the “Special One”, but the only beauty Roma would care for is the sight of their team lifting more silverware.

Italy’s amazing UEFA season

After having no fewer than five teams in UEFA semi-finals this season, Italy can now boast having representatives in all three of the finals.

After this final, Inter Milan have a date with Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League final while Fiorentina will play their first European final in 33 years when they face West Ham in the Europa Conference League.

Out of the three tournaments, the Europa League is the tournament where Italy have had the longest drought, with their last success coming 24 years ago when Parma lifted the trophy.

Looking at the three finals this year, you could argue that Roma are Italy’s best hope.

Moroccan World Cup stars on show

After Morocco thrilled everyone in Qatar late last year with a first ever African appearance in a FIFA World Cup semi-final, two key players in that run are expected to turn out for Sevilla.

Youssef En-Nesyri, who scored the only goal in the quarter-finals against Portugal with a memorable towering header, has scored four goals in this Europa League campaign and is enjoying one of his best seasons.

In goal, Bono is experienced and has been ever reliable. A final is often a scene where a goalkeeper’s heroics become more magnified and valuable and he’ll be up to the task.

The pair are both important members of the team’s spine and they will have a big say if Sevilla are to win the final.

An extra Champions League spot for either Spain or Italy

With Roma sixth on the Serie A table and Sevilla as low as 11th in LaLiga, neither team are able to qualify for the UEFA Champions League through their league position.

Which means a Europa League win won’t just mean a Champions League spot for the victors. It’ll also mean an extra fifth place for that club’s country in next year’s tournament.

The Europa League has certainly gone up a gear in intensity since a Champions League spot started being offered to the winners from the 2014/15 season. This year’s winner will not only increase their revenue and ability to attract star players, but will also bring more prestige to their own domestic league.

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