Sevilla crowned Europa League champions

By Peter Ochieng

Sevilla are the 2022/2023 Europa League champions.

The Spanish side beat Italy's AS Roma 4-1 via post match penalties to be crowned champions for a record extending seven times, in Budapest, Hungary.

The final match had ended 1-1 during normal and extra time, as over 10 players and coaches, including Roma's Jose Mourinho were booked.

Paulo Dybala put Roma ahead, before Sevilla equalised courtesy of an own goal from Gianluca Mancini.

Prior to the match, Mourinho had won all five European finals as manager.

He won the UEFA Cup and Champions League with FC Porto, Champions League with Inter Milan, Europa League with Manchester United and UEFA Conference League with AS Roma last season.

Perhaps overwhelmed with losing for the first time, the Portuguese tactician took his runners-up medal off, and threw it to a fan in the crowd.

He then walked down the tunnel.

The win grants Sevilla a spot in next season's Champions League group stage, despite finishing out of the top four in La Liga this season.

As the saying now goes, there are three certainities in life; taxes, death and Sevilla winning the Europa League title if they reach the final.

It happened in 2006, 2007, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2020 and now 2023.