Sevilla secured a record-extending seventh Europa League title after beating Roma 4-1 in a dramatic penalty shootout at the Puskas Arena in Budapest.
Gonzalo Montiel, who converted the winning penalty for Argentina in the World Cup final, scored the deciding spot-kick.
The Europa League specialists condemned Roma manager Jose Mourinho to his first European final loss, having triumphed on five such occasions previously.
“I have to fight for these lads and therefore not say objectively that I will remain,” Mourinho told Sky Italy in the aftermath of the defeat. “I lost this one, but I return home prouder than ever this time.”
A furiously contested encounter, where more yellow cards were issued to coaching and technical staff in respective dugouts than players, went to extra-time after Gianluca Mancini’s own goal cancelled out Paulo Dybala’s well-taken opener.
Similar to Roma, but to a greater extent, Sevilla have endured an arduous domestic campaign, marred by relegation fears until recently, but continental competition tends to be their mecca.
Five months after scoring the winning penalty on the biggest stage of all, Montiel converted the clinching spot-kick, this time in a European final, to crown Sevilla champions at the expense of Mourinho’s Roma.
A hot-tempered affair was narrowly edged by the masters of Europe’s second-tier competition, who will journey home to Spain with an unbelievable seventh scalp.
Mourinho, whose Roma future is now in question, was on track to become the most decorated European manager in history with six trophies when Dybala overcame a problem ankle injury in time to give the Serie A side the lead.
