Sevilla won the Europa League for a record fourth time, with two goals from Carlos Bacca steering the Spanish club to a 3-2 win over Ukraine’s Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in Wednesday’s final.
The final whistle prompted tearful celebrations from Sevilla, who retained the title they won last season and earned a spot in next year’s Champions League, a prize offered this season to the Europa League winners by Uefa for the first time.
“We want to be ambitious in terms of moving forward,” Sevilla coach Unai Emery said. “Obviously we want more but we now have more because we have the Champions League and we will enjoy that fully.”
Sevilla’s success means there will be five Spanish teams in the Champions League next season, matching the record set by English clubs in 2005-06.
Obviously we want more but we now have more because we have the Champions League and we will enjoy that fully
Sevilla rallied from a goal down early in the first half, scored by a header from Nikola Kalinic, to lead 2-1 through goals from first Grzegorz Krychowiak then Bacca, before a free kick from Dnipro’s Ruslan Rotan made it 2-2 at the break.
Bacca scored the 73rd-minute winner off a pass from Vitolo when Dnipro’s defence struggled to clear the ball.