Sevilla crowned Europa League champions for record 7th time

Sevilla clinches record 7th Europa League title in contentious final against Roma marred by disciplinary issues. Mourinho's perfect record shattered.

In a dramatic and contentious Europa League final, Sevilla secured a record seventh title, besting Jose Mourinho's Roma in a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw in Budapest.

The match, despite being overshadowed by numerous disciplinary incidents and a lacklustre performance on the pitch, saw Sevilla reinforce their dominance in this competition.

Prior to the game, a Tifo from the Sevilla fans read, "This competition is ours," an assertion that now seems indisputable.

Roma initially took the lead with a well-placed opener from Paolo Dybala.

However, a resilient Sevilla side equalised in the second half through an own goal by Roma's Gianluca Mancini.

After two missed penalties from Roma in the shootout, it was Gonzalo Montiel, the same player who scored Argentina's winning penalty in the World Cup final against France, who secured the victory for Sevilla.

GONZALO MONTIEL IS ICE-COLD IN THE HIGH-PRESSURE MOMENTS 🥶 pic.twitter.com/kPGjUO2m17

— GOAL (@goal) May 31, 2023

However, it was the behaviour of both teams and coaching staff that grabbed the limelight, with a total of 13 yellow cards being awarded, plus one for Mourinho.

13 - There were 13 yellow cards awarded in the game between Sevilla (6) and Roma (7), the most ever in a UEFA Europa League game. Indeed, Roma's seven were the most for any side in a final in the competition. Grind. pic.twitter.com/DLcHIerVjo

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 31, 2023

This contest was one of the least disciplined European finals in recent memory, with more than 25 minutes of injury time across the four halves and a staggering two yellow cards for every shot on target.

The ball was in play just 45% of the time in Sevilla vs Roma last night.

Considering how long the game was, that means that the ball was out of play for over 80 minutes of the match 😳 pic.twitter.com/w4Vr2QPoSj

— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) June 1, 2023

Manager's reaction

Mourinho, having previously won all five of his European finals, lost his perfect record. 

Despite his disappointment, he praised his team, saying, "The boys gave everything.We are all attached to the shirt, to our nature." 

Mourinho has been linked with a potential move away from Rome this summer, adding another layer of intrigue to his future plans.

Sevilla's recent success is even more impressive given their struggles earlier in the season. 

When manager Jose Luis Mendilibar took over in mid-March, the club was battling against relegation.

Since then, Mendilibar has not only secured their La Liga status but also steered Sevilla to another Europa League triumph.

Speaking on his future, he said, "Right now I don't know if I'm going to renew or not and I don't care. We're going to enjoy it because it cost us enough."

Mourinho, always a figure of controversy, drew attention once again by throwing his losers medal to a child in the crowd.

In a post-match statement, Mourinho said, "I don't want silver medals. I don't keep silver medals, so I gave it away."

With this victory, Sevilla have now won the competition four times more than any other club, cementing their status as the undisputed masters of the Europa League.

Their dramatic turnaround from struggling in La Liga to winning the Europa League is a testament to their resilience and strength, sending a clear message to their rivals: when it comes to the Europa League, Sevilla indeed owns the competition.