Sevilla take on Roma in the Europa League final tonight, from the Puskas Arena in Budapest.
The Spanish side have won the competition six times – double the number of any other team – and have been victorious in every final they have reached.
But Roma manager Jose Mourinho has never lost a European final in five attempts. He has three Champions Leagues and a Europa League to his name, as well as last year’s Europa Conference League with Roma.
Something, then, will have to give as these two sides face off in Hungary tonight.
How can I watch the Europa League final?
The final will broadcast live on BT Sport 1 and BT Sport Ultimate, with coverage beginning at 7.15pm, ahead of an 8pm kick-off.
However, non-subscribers will also be able to catch the final, as BT Sport will stream it for free on its website and YouTube channel.
What should we expect from the final?
Neither Roma nor Sevilla can finish in the top four of their domestic leagues to ensure qualification for the Champions League next season.
That means their only path into the competition is taking the group-stage place protected for the Europa League winner by winning tonight.
Mourinho has attempted to paint Roma as the underdogs ahead of the final. “For them to play the final is a normal thing, for us it is an extraordinary event,” he said on Tuesday, though added: “History does not play.”
Speaking of history, Mourinho actually has more European title wins than Sevilla coach José Luis Mendilibar has total games managed in the three major European club competitions. The 62-year-old Mendilibar’s career is peaking since joining a struggling Sevilla just two months ago.
“I have had more opportunities to play in European competitions, but Mendilibar is of the same generation as me, with the same white hair,” Mourinho, 60, said. “We are on an equal footing.”
Last year, Mourinho won the inaugural Europa Conference League, making him the first coach with titles in each of the three club competitions.
Mendilibar has a more modest background, yet has arguably outcoached Mourinho in his brief spell at Sevilla.
Replacing former Argentina coach Jorge Sampaoli in March, Mendilibar became Sevilla’s third coach this season, joining with the team just two points clear of La Liga’s relegation zone.
Mendilibar’s Sevilla have lost only two of 11 league games, and are now one point off seventh place going into the final round this weekend. They are unbeaten in the Europa League after eliminating Manchester United – despite trailing 2-0 after 83 minutes at Old Trafford in the first leg – and Juventus.
Roma come to Budapest having gone seven Serie A league games without a win. They advanced to the final with a 0-0 draw in the second leg at Bayer Leverkusen, managing just one shot on goal compared to 23 for the Germans.
“I don’t think they need many chances to score and to win,” Mendilibar said of Roma. “I don’t think they worry too much about getting to the opposition goal.”
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/N0xAOPB
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