All 6 Europa League finals involving Sevilla
The Europa League has been unofficially dubbed the 'Sevilla Cup' by fans of the Spanish side owing to the club's recent dominance in the competition. Starting from 2006, Sevilla have been in six Europa League/UEFA Cup finals and have never left the field without lifting the trophy on each occasion.
No other club in Europe have consistently won a European title the way Sevilla have in the last two decades. While they may have never reached a UEFA Champions League semi-final or won the La Liga in the last seven decades, Sevilla have become a European super club based on their record in the Europa League alone.
When Jesus Navas lifted the 2019-20 Europa League trophy in Cologne last week after Sevilla beat Inter Milan 3-2, it was just another reaffirmation that no other club wants Europe's second-tier cup competition as much as the Andalusian club does. On that note, let us take a look at all six Europa League finals involving Sevilla.
1. 2006: Sevilla 4-0 Middlesbrough
When the 2005-06 season came about, Sevilla had won no domestic titles or cup competitions in the past six decades, and their European pedigree was minimal. However, the inspired appointment of Juande Ramos as manager changed everything.
The future Tottenham Hotspur and Real Madrid manager quietly built up a strong team that comprised the likes of Freddie Kanoute, Luis Fabiano, Javier Saviola and a young Jesus Navas that made Sevilla a dark horse in both Spain and Europe.
Both Kanoute and Saviola scored six goals each in Sevilla's UEFA Cup campaign that season as the Spanish side overcame Mainz, Lokomotiv Moscow, Lille, Zenit, and Schalke to reach the final.
The title match saw Sevilla face a surprise package in Steve McClaren's English minnows Middlesbrough. Boro had overturned first-leg deficits in both their quarter-final and semi-final ties to set up a final date with Sevilla.
The Andalusian club took the lead in the 27th minute courtesy of Luis Fabiano before Man of the Match Enzo Maresca scored two quickfire goals in the last 12 minutes to put Sevilla 3-0 ahead. Kanoute then finished off Boro's slim hopes with his team's fourth goal in the 89th.
After captain Javi Navarro lifted the trophy for Sevilla, it marked the start of a golden peroid for the club as they thrashed UEFA Champions League winners Barcelona 3-0 in the next year's UEFA Super Cup en route to more European success.
2. 2007: Sevilla 2(3)-2(1) Espanyol
Javi Navarro would lift the UEFA Super Cup, UEFA Cup and the Copa Del Rey during the 2006-07 season as Sevilla established themselves as Cup specialists. That UEFA Cup campaign saw Sevilla retain their title with a penalty shootout victory over fellow Spanish club Espanyol.
The final saw Sevilla take the lead twice only to be pegged back on each occasion, including conceding an equaliser in the 115th minute. The match subsequently went to penalties where Espanyol missed one spot-kick after the other. Antonio Puerta converted the fourth spot-kick for Sevilla to give the Andalusian club a 3-1 shootout victory.
The Copa Del Rey victory over Getafe followed soon after, and the next year, Sevilla would win their fifth title in three years after capturing the Spanish Super Cup. They would come close to winning the La Liga title as well, but disaster was lurking around the corner.
Antonio Puerta passed away after a cardiac arrest suffered during Sevilla' first La Liga game of the 2007-08 season. Juande Ramos then left the club, and the great Sevilla side disintegrated as many of their players left after attracting interest from top European sides that eventually weakened the club.
3. 2014: Sevilla 0(4)-0(2) Benfica
Despite winning another Copa Del Rey trophy in 2010, Sevilla's form had dropped by 2012. Languishing in 12th place in La Liga, the club decided to appoint Unai Emery as manager. While the results weren't immediate, Emery returned Sevilla to European glory in the 2013-14 season.
Entering that season's Europa League in the third qualifying round, Sevilla scored successive 9-1 aggregate victories over Mladost and Slask respectively to reach the group-stage. The path to their third final was arduous, though.
The Andalusian club barely squeezed past Maribor, Real Betis, Porto and Valencia to reach the final. Sevilla were considered underdogs to a Benfica side that had beaten Tottenham Hotspur and Juventus to reach the title match.
The young Sevilla side comprising Carlos Bacca, Ivan Rakitic and Coke, however, held the Portuguese team to a goalless draw before proving their mettle in yet another penalty shootout. Bacca, Coke, Kevin Gameiro and Steven Mbia all scored from the spot as Sevilla won the shootout 4-2 to lift their third UEFA Cup/Europa League trophy.