Sevilla and Roma do battle in Budapest

The UEFA Europa League final takes place in Budapest this evening with Jose Luis Mendilibar’s Sevilla taking on a Roma side that are managed by Jose Mourinho.

Sevilla are the kings of this competition, having won it a record six times in its history, including three successive triumphs throughout the mid-2010’s. Roma, on the other hand, only won their first ever UEFA competition last season when they won the UEFA Europa Conference League.

Both of these sides have missed out on a top four finish in Spain and Italy respectively, so their only hope of UEFA Champions League group stage qualification is by winning this match in Hungary tonight. 

With the significance and importance of the match put into a bit of perspective, this is a statistical breakdown of how the two sides have fared in European competition in their history, as well as a look at their managers and key players.

SEVILLA

Season so far

Sevilla are onto their third manager of what has been a turbulent campaign. Julen Lopetegui, who won the UEFA Europa League with the club in 2020, departed in October after a really poor start to the season. Jorge Sampaoli returned to the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan and things just got worse as they fell into a genuine relegation battle going into the March international break.

Since the appointment of Jose Luis Mendilibar, though, during that break, they have been absolutely excellent in both La Liga and the UEFA Europa League. They have defeated both Manchester United and Juventus in the UEFA Europa League knockouts, as well as lifting themselves from the aforementioned relegation battle to a position to genuinely compete for the top seven and UEFA Europa Conference League qualification on the final day of the season. 

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European history

UCL best: Quarter-finals (1958, 2018)
UEL best: Winners (2006, 2007, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2020)
UECL best: N/A
UCWC best: Round of 32 (1963)
USC best: Winners (2006)

Manager profile | Jose Luis Mendilibar

Clubs managed: Arratia (1994-96), Basconia (1997-99), Athletic Club B (1999-00), Basconia (2000-01), Aurrera (2001-02), Lanzarote (2002-04), Eibar (2004-05), Athletic Club (2005), Real Valladolid (2006-10), Osasuna (2011-13), Levante (2014), Eibar (2015-21), Alaves (2021-22), Sevilla (2023-)

Major trophies won: 0

Run to Budapest

UCL GS: L | 0-4 vs Manchester City (H)
UCL GS: D | 0-0 vs Copenhagen (A)
UCL GS: L | 1-4 vs Borussia Dortmund (H)
UCL GS: D | 1-1 vs Borussia Dortmund (A)
UCL GS: W | 3-0 vs Copenhagen (H)
UCL GS: L | 1-3 vs Sevilla (A)
UEL KOPO: W | 3-0 vs PSV Eindhoven (H)
UEL KOPO: L | 0-2 vs PSV Eindhoven (A)
UEL L16: W | 2-0 vs Fenerbahce (H)

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UEL L16: L | 1-0 vs Fenerbahce (A)
UEL QF: D | 2-2 vs Manchester United (A)
UEL QF: W | 3-0 vs Manchester United (H)
UEL SF: D | 1-1 vs Juventus (A)
UEL SF: D | 1-1 [2-1 AET] vs Juventus (H)

ROMA

Season so far

Jose Mourinho has been unable to guide his Roma side in a position to take advantage of several underperforming clubs in Serie A. Juventus’ points deduction as well as severe levels of inconsistency at AC Milan has allowed Inter and Lazio to claim top four spots and the Giallorossi will be frustrated that they have missed out on a top four finish with a game of the 2022/23 Serie A season to go.

In European competition, though, the Romans have been very impressive. They stumbled through their group stage with back-to-back victories against HJK and Ludogorets squeezing them into the knockout playoffs but knockout victories against Real Sociedad, Dutch champions Feyenoord and Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen has continued to keep Mourinho’s flame alive as he hunts a 27th major trophy and sixth in European competition.

European history

UCL best: Runners’ up (1984)
UEL best: Runners’ up (1991)
UECL best: Winners (2022)
UCWC best: Semi-finals (1970)
USC best: N/A

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Manager profile | Jose Mourinho

Clubs managed: Benfica (2000), Uniao de Leiria (2001-02), Porto (2002-04), Chelsea (2004-07), Internazionale (2008-10), Real Madrid (2010-13), Chelsea (2013-15), Manchester United (2016-18), Tottenham Hotspur (2019-21), Roma (2021-)

Trophies won: 26 = Serie A x2, Premier League x3, Primeira Liga x2, La Liga, Coppa Italia, FA Cup, Taca de Portugal, Copa del Rey, EFL Cup x4, Supercoppa Italiana, Community Shield x2, Supertaca Candido de Oliveira, Supercopa de España, UEFA Champions League x2, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Europa Conference League, UEFA Super Cup

Run to Budapest

UEL GS: L | 2-1 vs Ludogorets Razgrad (A)
UEL GS: W | 3-0 vs HJK Helsinki (H)
UEL GS: L | 2-1 vs Real Betis (H)
UEL GS: D | 1-1 vs Real Betis (A)
UEL GS: W | 2-1 vs HJK Helsinki (A)
UEL GS: W | 3-1 vs Ludogorets Razgrad (H)
UEL KOPO: L | 1-0 vs Red Bull Salzburg (A)
UEL KOPO: W | 2-0 vs Red Bull Salzburg (H)
UEL L16: W | 2-0 vs Real Sociedad (H)
UEL L16: D | 0-0 vs Real Sociedad (A)
UEL QF: L | 0-1 vs Feyenoord (A)
UEL QF: W | 2-1 [4-1 AET] vs Feyenoord (H)
UEL SF: W | 1-0 vs Bayer Leverkusen (H)
UEL SF: D | 0-0 vs Bayer Leverkusen (A)

Whatever happens in the Hungarian capital, both sides and sets of supporters, for different reasons, will be quite pleased with having reached this stage of the competition. UEFA Champions League football beckons, though, so defeat remains gut-wrenching.