UEL Final | Sevilla 1-1 Roma (4-1 pens): Shootout heartbreak for Mourinho

Roma pushed Sevilla all the way to a penalty shoot-out before succumbing in the Europa League Final, which means they also won’t qualify for the Champions League next season.

The Giallorossi lifted the Conference League last season and made it all the way to the Final of this competition at the Puskas Arena in Budapest. Paulo Dybala passed a late fitness test to start after spraining his ankle, so only Marash Kumbulla and Rick Karsdorp were out of action. The Spaniards had Marcos Acuna suspended, replaced by Alex Telles, while Oliver Torres was preferred to ex-Milan winger Suso.

Leonardo Spinazzola had the first chance of the game, firing straight at Yassine Bounou after good work from Dybala and Zeki Celik, but Tammy Abraham had penalty appeals waved away for a high Nemanja Gudelj boot that caught him in the head.

Moments later, Roma took the lead when Bryan Cristante robbed Ivan Rakitic in midfield and Gianluca Mancini immediately threaded through to send Dybala running, he took one touch and then swept into the far bottom corner with his left boot.

Fernando’s header looped over the bar from a corner, then Dybala dribbled past two to pull back for Lorenzo Pellegrini, who was booked for simulation as he tried to find contact.

Sevilla poured forward through seven minutes of first half stoppages and Rakitic’s daisy-cutter from distance smacked against the base of the upright.

The Spaniards introduced ex-Serie A players Suso and Erik Lamela for the second half, while Alex Telles blasted over from a tricky angle and Sevilla equalised, as Mancini was trying to prevent En-Nesyri tapping in a Jesus Navas cross from the right, instead it hit him and ricocheted in from six yards. It was the first time a Mourinho team conceded in a UEFA Final since 2003.

Roma threatened to restore their advantage when a free kick sparked a mad goalmouth scramble, including Bounou save on Abraham and Roger Ibanez scuffing the rebound from six yards.

There was controversy on 75 minutes when referee Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot, but had to change his mind after the VAR review, because Ibanez clearly got the ball before Ocampos.

Roma also had penalty appeals when Fernando charged down a Spinazzola cross with his arm, but it was considered to be in a natural position.

Moments later, Pellegrini floated a free kick over the top for Andrea Belotti, whose volley was fingertipped wide of the near post by Bounou.

En-Nesyri nodded a Suso cross over the bar and Rui Patricio spilled the ex-Milan man’s long-range strike, but Ocampos couldn’t make the most of it and the Final went to extra time.

Nicola Zalewski’s attempt was charged down in the box and Stephan El Shaarawy came on for the second half of extra time. Lamela was booked for an elbow that left Ibanez needing stitches to his lip.

Edoardo Bove made a decisive interception on the Gonzalo Montiel pull-back for En-Nesyri and extra time dragged on through 12 minutes of stoppages, during which Smalling’s looping header on a corner thumped the crossbar.

However, the Europa League Final had to be decided on a penalty shoot-out. Gianluca Mancini’s attempt was saved and Ibanez’s was fingertipped onto the upright. Rui Patricio thought he had given Roma a lifeline by pushing the Gonzalo Montiel effort onto the post, but it had to be retaken due to encroachment, and Montiel did not make the same mistake twice.

Sevilla 1-1 Roma aet (4-1 on pens)

Dybala 35 (R), Mancini og 55 (S)

Penalty shoot-out: Ocampos (S, goal), Cristante (R, goal), Lamela (S, goal), Mancini (R, saved), Rakitic (S, goal), Ibanez (R, saved), Montiel (S, goal)