Sevilla it seems to have got hold of some insiders secret of how to win Europa League, for three years in running they have won the 2nd highest prize in European club competition and have secured an automatic qualification to next year’s Champions’ league draw. On Wednesday Night in Basel Sevilla came back from a goal down in the first half and fired home three in the second half to beat Liverpool.
Sevilla and Liverpool both have not had a great league season and were out of contention for European places after having finished 7th and 8th respectively in their leagues.
Thus, the Europa league final was the best chance for both the sides to salvage some Glory, a win would mean automatic UCL qualification. And it was Sevilla who had the last laugh and it was misery and heartbreak for for the Klopp managed side for ever since taking over as Liverpool manager Klopp has reached two finals League Cup and Europa and has come short on both occasions.
The match:
Interestingly Liverpool was the better side in the first half and got first on the score sheet in the 35th minute courtesy a brilliant goal by a fit Daniel Sturridge. But football is a funny game it only takes minutes to change the entire complexion of the game, in this game however it was only a matter of seconds. Liverpool after a dominating first half display where they should have scored more were taken to the cleaners in the second half. A team which was so full of Belief and Confidence in the first half was all over the place in the 2nd half. They didn’t seem like a team who was playing in the finals.
No club will ever tell you about what it is like to make a comeback than Liverpool. The night in Istanbul against AC Milan is etched forever in every Liverpool Fans memory.
It is this and many other such instances that makes the European Nights so special. However on Wednesday the Reds were at the receiving end, it was their oppositions turn to do an Istanbul on them. In just 17 seconds of the 2nd half Sevilla were on level terms. A poor clearance from Alberto Moreno the Spanish left back was capitalized by Mariano who created an easy tap in for the French International Kevin Gameiro. The goal more than leveling the draw, led to a mental breakdown of the Liverpool side and Sevilla capitalized further by adding two more via Coke and took home a fifth Europa Crown, the last three in three years running.
Future
For Liverpool the road to recovery is long the 2nd half showed that Klopp still has a lot of work to do to help the Reds revive their past glory, For Sevilla it was a great win given that they have been marred by constant problems throughout the season, sale of top players, injuries, lack of form puts all of this behind. Sevilla can further add to their glory if they manage to beat Barcelona in the Copa Del Rey final on Sunday.