Europa League final preview: Sevilla vs Roma – where to watch, kick-off time, possible line-ups, form guide | OneFootball

The mouth-watering Europa League final pits Sevilla and Roma against each other at the Puskas Arena in Budapest on Saturday, May 31.

Where to watch the Europa League on TV?

Fans in the United Kingdom can watch the Europa League final on BT Sport, while CBS and TUDN have the TV rights in the United States.

If you’re interested in watching the game, check out the Europa League broadcast partners on UEFA’s official website, or find live Europa League streams here.

What do you need to know?

Sevilla

There’s a reason Sevilla are widely considered ‘Europa League specialists,’ as they’ve won the competition six times, twice as many as closest followers Inter Milan, Liverpool, Juventus and Atletico Madrid.

More importantly, each of their six titles have come in the 21st century, with their most recent success in Europe’s second-tier competition dating back to 2019/20 when they dispatched Roma’s domestic rivals Inter in the grand final.

Despite experiencing one of their poorest La Liga campaigns in the new millennium, Jose Luis Mendilibar’s side have reigned supreme since dropping out of the Champions League group stage.

They’ve had to deal with PSV Eindhoven, Fenerbahce, Manchester United and Juventus en route to the Europa League title decider, proving their continental credentials against some of the favourites to win the prize this term.

Safe in the knowledge they’ve never lost a Europa League final, Sevilla head to Hungary as slight pre-match favourites, with vice-captain Ivan Rakitic seeking his second continental title with Los Rojiblancos.

In the build-up to the Budapest showpiece, the former Croatia international heaped praise on upcoming rivals Roma and their manager Jose Mourinho.

Roma

After winning the Europa Conference League title in Mourinho’s first season in charge last term, Roma can add only a second piece of European silverware to their trophy cabinet.

Although the Italians had encountered little luck in European football before the Portuguese’s arrival in 2021/22, they can rely on their charismatic manager to navigate their way past serial winners Sevilla.

Having won the Europa League with Porto and Man Utd, Mourinho knows in-depth about conquering this competition as he looks to become the first manager to lift the title with three different clubs.

Unlike the Spaniards, Roma’s continental journey this season has started in the Europa League, although they barely landed a runner-up spot in Group C behind Real Betis, courtesy of back-to-back victories in the last two group matchdays.

Their road to Budapest has been anything but plain sailing, with the Giallorossi squeezing past Red Bull Salzburg, Real Sociedad, Feyenoord and Bayer Leverkusen without scoring a single goal in away legs.

But with Mourinho at the helm, a lack of goals shouldn’t stop Roma from becoming the first Serie A club to win the Europa League title since Parma in 1998/99.

Possible Starting Line-ups

Sevilla (4-2-3-1): Bounou; Jesus Navas, Loic Bade, Nemanja Gudelj, Alex Telles; Fernando, Ivan Rakitic; Lucas Ocampos, Oliver Torres, Bryan Gil; Youssef En-Nesyri.

Roma (3-4-2-1): Rui Patricio; Gianluca Mancini, Chris Smalling, Roger Ibanez; Zeki Celik, Bryan Cristante, Nemanja Matic, Leonardo Spinazzola; Paulo Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini; Tammy Abraham.

Form Guide

Sevilla

Not even a 10th-minute opener from Erik Lamela proved enough to secure three points for 10-man Sevilla at La Liga basement boys Elche in midweek league action as Mendilibar’s team could only manage a 1-1 draw, their fourth stalemate in regulation time across their last five outings (W1).

Form (all competitions, most recent first): DDDWDWLWWW

Where they stand: 9th in Spanish Liga

Roma

Nemanja Matic’s late equaliser saved Roma from another Serie A embarrassment as they held bottom-half Salernitana to a 2-2 home draw last Monday, extending their winless league run to six matches (D4, L2).

Form (all competitions, most recent first): DDDWLDDLWW

Where they stand: 6th in Italian Serie A

View from the camps

Jose Luis Mendilibar, Sevilla coach: “Our aim was to do our best in this competition and everything is going well.

We have eliminated two great teams in Manchester United and Juve and we will present ourselves in Budapest against another great team and another great coach.

People did not expect we would do something like this and we have achieved it.”

Jose Mourinho, Roma coach: “My concern was getting to the final. Sevilla are a very strong team and have great experience.

[In the run-up to the game] we’ll think about it. Now we are thinking about the Italian league.”