Eindhoven, Glasgow, Turin, Warsaw, Basel, Cologne, Budapest… Seven magnificent European cities crowned Sevilla, the incredible collector of UEFA Cups, which this Wednesday, with the exceptional euphoria of its fans, who went crazy, took this club to Andalusia for the seventh time is transformed when it reaches continental battles. When it started in the Europa League in mid-February, Sevilla was dangerously threatened with relegation, but it was time to jump on the international field and emerge again. It always happens to him. So much so that it has just put the country in the middle of the best winners of this competition: Sevilla has 7, Inter, Juventus, Liverpool and Atlético de Madrid 3. Doubly incredible because the Sevilla team has only been champion of Spain once, in 1946. But this cup really suits them. And it grows, becomes epic and prevails over adversity.

Roma were a tough opponent, they arrived with sharp fangs, ready to win a big trophy, with José Mourinho on the bench, a European expert if ever there was one, and a crowd that pushed like never before. The Italian team took the lead with a left-footed strike from Paul Dybala, who was not sure if he would play due to injury, but Mou was confident in his category. And Cordovan granted him that, in the only one he had, he charged, even though he lasted only 68 minutes on the field.

At the age of 60, José Mourinho was seeking his 27th title, an impressive record for a manager who was never a footballer and never imposed a personal style or new tactics. His is pure personality, total leadership. You’re either with Mou or you have to go. His formidable character does not allow cracks and resignations in the groups he manages. The closet is yours. And this is known from the most valued player to the last tifosh, and through the president of the club. If you hire Mou, you must give him the keys. “All Italian teams have changed the way they play, they have abandoned ultra-defensiveness and are encouraged to attack, play colorful and spectacular football, the only one that continues as before is Roma, with Mourinho, but he is so charismatic that since he arrived there is sold out in all parties,” says Massimo Tecca, a distinguished Italian journalist (and novelist, though he bites his lip before admitting it). Sold orut is sold out.

The Portuguese is the only coach who won all three European competitions: the Champions League (with Porto and Inter), the Europa League (with Manchester United) and the Conference League (with Roma). The Crimson Universe celebrated his arrival as the return of Julius Caesar to the Empire. Later, when he won the Conference League, he was enthroned, and now he is lord of life and estate. Had he triumphed on Wednesday, he would have been proclaimed the ninth king of Rome. The eighth is Paulo Roberto Falcão, the sensational Brazilian midfielder who made the Romans fall in love in the eighties.

Mou is not blushing: he arranged a line of five players in defense, with two top midfielders up front, a mixed player like Pellegrini and one creative: Paulo Dybala. On the opposite bench, the Basque Mendilibar proposed something more generous, eleven more advanced, with more elements on a good basis. The teams are very evenly matched, although the Andalusian does not have the A class of Dybala. And Dybala was not one hundred percent. Out of 9, two of them lined up a large tank-type area: the Englishman Abraham in Roma, the Moroccan En-Nesyri in Seville. After a good World Cup, En-Nesyri helped Sevilla a lot, scoring 16 goals. However, both went unnoticed.

In the end, the Basque coach José Luis Mendilibar, Mourinho’s absolute counterpart, won the fight. A calm, modest, low-profile man, without any sign, he only arrived in Sevilla on March 21 to replace Jorge Sampaoli (he could not improve the performance of a team that had a very bad start to the season with Julen Lopetegui) and in the middle of a fire that meant near the bottom tables, won over players with its simplicity. Mendi, as he likes to be called, led Sevilla in a difficult situation, two points above relegation in the league. In the end, he easily saved it and won this Europa League.

A dedication that leaves wealth in the white and red treasury. He collected 14,900,000 euros in prizes for the five stages he went through in the European League. Added to this is 4,224,000 for the best odds in this competition, plus 2,940,000 for wins or draws. However, as Sevilla came from the Champions League (eliminated in the first stage), they must also add the 20,300,000 won in the Champions League. In total, 42,364,000 million euros. Plus the box office of 7 local matches, which left him with around 22,000,000. And add to all that the distribution of the Market Pool of the European League, a common pool from TV that is distributed to all participants. In other words, he reaped fame and fortune in a season that started poorly and had three coaches.

Ferenc Puskas would have liked a different kind of finish at home. Perhaps the leprechaun of the greatest Hungarian genius flew over the stadium that bears his name (the imposing Puskas Arena) to watch the definition of the Europa League between Sevilla and Roma. He, who was excellent, would not have liked a game with few goals – it ended 1-1 – and with a lot more nerves and friction than the game. Only in the final of the European Champions Cup in 1960, Puskas scored 4 times in the fantastic match Real Madrid 7 – Eintracht Frankfurt 3. Of course, it was another football, another world. They attacked with five and defended with two or three. There were places everywhere, it was marked from afar, and the slowness favored individual maneuvers. In addition, it was almost unknown how the opponent played. This gave advantages to crack. Now, a villain with a lot of information manages to undo the good guy.

In the regular 90 minutes, it was 1 on 1, overtime (never finished) and penalty kicks were played. And on penalties, the white team won 4-1. With four shots – there was no need to make a fifth – Mendilibar finished off three Argentines: Lucas Ocampos, Erik Lamela and the great expert Gonzalo Montiel (who scored the last for Argentina against France in Qatar). Without a doubt, DT believed in the mental strength of the Albiceleste. All three spoke.

Mourinho, more outraged than ever, went to the referee’s parking lot to berate referee Anthony Taylor over the alleged penalty by Sevilla’s Brazilian Fernando. The ball, it is true, hit him in the hand, but it was next to the body and the Englishman did not acknowledge it. In our opinion, he is currently one of the three best referees in the world, along with his compatriot Michael Oliver and Colombian Wilmar Roldán.

She didn’t seem like the little sister of the Champions League. In the preview, the hype in the Europa League final was lavish in the presentation and the public. Sevilla, the king of UEFA, brought 13,000 fans to Budapest, Roma certainly twice as many. Roman painting is a kind of Mouth in the category of popularity: faithful, passionate, screaming.

There was no aesthetic waste, there was tension, zeal, dedication, passion for victory. Beauty has many faces. Combat is one of them. (OR)