Sevilla FC beat Roma on spot kicks to win the 2023 UEFA Europa League on Wednesday in Budapest.
After a Roma own goal tied the game at 1-1 in the second half, Sevilla won on spot kicks with the help of two stars from this winter’s FIFA World Cup. This is the most Europa League titles ever won by a team.
Moroccan goalie Yassine Bounou, who was a key part of Morocco’s run to the World Cup semifinals, saved two penalties for Roma. On Wednesday, Argentine Gonzalo Montiel scored the game-winning penalty for Roma, just like he did to win the World Cup.
The win gets Sevilla into the UEFA Champions League for next season, where they will play against teams like Manchester City, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich. It also puts a good spin on a rough season. The club fired boss Jorge Sampaoli in March, when the club was only two points above the bottom of the league.
Sevilla did not get relegated, but they finished 11th in La Liga. If they hadn’t won on Wednesday, they wouldn’t be able to play in any European event next season.
Sevilla will have another chance to win a trophy next year, and they will also get $9.44 million in prize money to help them improve their team for matches against the best clubs in Europe.
Roma also gets just over $5 million for coming in second, but it doesn’t seem to matter to their manager, Jose Mourinho, who had won all five European finals before losing in Budapest and giving his runner-up medal to a fan on his way off the pitch.
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