This was the rest of the Europa League won by Sevilla: from Palop’s header to Emery’s triple crown

Sevilla players celebrate the equalizing goal against Roma (REUTERS). (MARKO DURICA /)

Sevilla has done it again. The Andalusian team has lifted the seventh Europa League in its history to the sky in Budapest, thus maintaining full victory in finals. Seven has played and in all of them the trophy was taken to the Andalusian capital. This season also vindicating itself after the bad course in the League where it was flirting with relegation in the first half of the championship. The arrival of Mendilibar has returned the smile to a team that will play the Champions League again next season.

It may interest you: Mendilibar’s normality threatens Mourinho’s record

Door laid the first stone

The origin of Seville’s hegemony in the Europa League began 17 years ago in Eindhoven. Although to reach the Dutch city, the people of Seville sweated and in what way against Schalke in the semifinals. The goal scored by the late Antonio Puerta during the extra time of the second leg that sparked madness at the Sánchez-Pizjuán will remain forever in the memory of all the fans. With Juande Ramos on the bench and players like Luis Fabiano, Kanouté, Jesús Navas, Dani Alves and Palop on the pitch, Sevilla beat Middlesbrough with a resounding 4-0.

It may interest you: Mendilibar, the triumph of “simplicity” in Seville

Palop was the hero of the second

The solvency and tranquility with which Sevilla won their first Europa League, contrasts with the suffering they went through to achieve their second one a year later in Glasgow. The hero had a name and surname: Andrés Palop. The goalkeeper lived one of his best nights in the round of 16 against Shakhtar. He dressed as a striker to score from a corner at the last minute and force extra time where a goal from Chevanton classified the Andalusian team. Palop’s feat did not end there, in the final, against Espanyol, he saved three penalties in the shootout and gave Sevilla the second consecutive Europa League.

The Sevilla players lift the second Europa League for the Andalusian team. (EFE).

Mbia and a header to remember

Sevilla, due to the bad results, dismissed Míchel in the middle of the 13/14 season and replaced him with Unai Emery who, six months later, reinstated the Andalusian team as Europa League champions. The road to the final was not without emotion and suffering. In the round of 16 they eliminated their eternal rival, Betis, on penalties, after equalizing the 2-0 loss in the first leg. But the suffering reached its peak in Mestalla. Valencia came back from 2-0 down in the first leg, but Mbia headed a throw-in in added time and silenced the Valencian stadium. In the decisive clash in Turin, Sevilla lifted their third Europa League title after defeating Benfica in a penalty shootout.

The Sevillian footballers lift the third Europa League for the Seville team (EFE).

kings of competition

The achievement of the third Europa League meant the loss of key players for Emery such as Rakitic, Fazio or Alberto Moreno. However, Sevilla returned to reign in their favorite competition at the hands of the Basque coach the following year. After defeating clubs such as Borussia Mönchengladbach, Villarreal, Zenit Saint Petersburg and Fiorentina, they faced the Ukrainian Dnipro in the final. A rival, on the inferior role, who planted battle throughout the final. In fact, they went ahead on the scoreboard with a goal from Kalinic and, despite being traced back, they equalized the match before the break. However, when the final stretch was approaching, Carlos Bacca unbalanced the game and made Sevilla revalidate the title and become the club with the most Europa League titles with four titles.

Triple crown for Emery and fifth for Sevilla

Still under the orders of Unai Emery, Sevilla once again reigned in Europe for the third consecutive year. After overcoming the bad spell of being eliminated in the Champions League group stage, fate had another happy ending in store for Sevilla. In his competition he was leaving Molde, Basel, Athletic Bilbao and Shakhtar Donetsk along the way, to meet in the grand final with Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool in Basel. There, the king passed the roller and defeated the English team 1-3 to take the fifth trophy of the continental competition to Nervión. Furthermore, they became the first club to win the title in three consecutive seasons, all with Emery as conductor.

Not even the pandemic prevented the sixth

In an atypical season, different from the rest due to the confinement due to the coronavirus, Sevilla left home stronger and certified their sixth Europa League under the orders of Julen Lopetegui. Except for their first tie against Romanian Cluj, the people from Seville played all their matches in a single match and were intractable. In the round of 16 they beat Roma, and then they got rid of English Wolves in the quarterfinals. But the best was yet to come. In the semifinals they eliminated Manchester United 2-1 and in the grand final they beat Antonio Conte’s Inter 3-2.

A reign that has been commissioned to extend José Luis Mendilibar getting the seventh after beating Mourinho’s Roma. The Basque coach has changed the mentality of some players who three months ago were fighting to avoid relegation. Now, the Sevilla fans are celebrating not only winning a title, but qualifying for the Champions League for the next campaign. Dream ending.

Keep reading:

Espanyol’s project is hurt after relegation: “They have to prepare for another world”

Espanyol is already in the Second Division and six teams will seek to avoid relegation on the last day

Real Madrid and Atlético are fighting for second place in LaLiga: what advantages does it have?

---

Source

---