May 18, Europa League Final: Liverpool - Sevilla

May 17, 2016 7:32 AM

After beating Benfica and Dnipro, only Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool stand between Unay Emery taking the Europa League trophy to Seville for the third consecutive season.

Played in St. Jakob-Park in Basel, the match will oppose 3-time winners Liverpool (vs Borussia MG in 1973, Club Brugge in 1976 and Alavés in 2001) against Sevilla FC, who broke the record by winning it 4 times since 2006 (vs Middlesbrough, Espanyol in 2007, Benfica in 2014 and Dnipro in 2016), and are now ahead of Liverpool, Juventus and Inter. It will also mark the first time one of these teams will be left collecting losers' medals in the competition.

After finishing last season in 6th, Liverpool stated the competition in the group stage, and stumbled (2W, 4D, 0L) past Sion, Rubin Kazan and Bordeaux, with Jurgen Klopp replacing Brandon Rodgers early in October, but their form picked up on the second round and knocked out Augsburg, Manchester United, favourites Borussia Dortmund, and Villareal, while Sevilla started in the Champions League as Europa League winners, but after a poor performance where they had to win against Juventus at home and expect Manchester City to beat Borussia MG to finish third, they found themselves back on the Europa League where they've beaten Molde, hosts Basel, Athletic Bilbao and Shakhtar Donetsk on their way to the final.

UEFA.com coverage

posted by lmfsilva (22 comments total)

Good work lmfsilva, will be in here after the game tomorrow night.

Can't believe its 15 years since the Alaves game, that was a squeaky one.
posted by biffa at 8:33 AM on May 17, 2016

It's also worth noting that this is not expected to be a defensive struggle. This has the potential to be a high energy game with lots of goals. Should be good fun, if chaotic.
posted by Burgoo at 7:55 AM on May 18, 2016

If it's even half as good as Liverpool-Alavés, it's one for the books.
posted by lmfsilva at 8:08 AM on May 18, 2016

I have my stream going and some Totally Serious Spreadsheets that need 100% focus so that's why I have the uh headphones on please ignore the LFC socks and shirt I wore to work today
posted by robocop is bleeding at 11:26 AM on May 18, 2016 [1 favorite]

After 15, Sevilla started more dominant, but best two chances by Liverpool. And that might have been a penalty.
posted by lmfsilva at 12:01 PM on May 18, 2016

Totally was. And it should have counted double! A Multiball penalty for hands and the foul!
posted by robocop is bleeding at 12:04 PM on May 18, 2016

Sevilla attempting to play basketball now.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 12:16 PM on May 18, 2016

Sturridge playing lacrosse with his foot for that goal.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 12:22 PM on May 18, 2016

The constant handballing is why I'd change the rules so that only goal chance preventing handballs would result in a penalty, the rest only an indirect free kick. Those three were all one of those 50/50 situations, and in two of them the ref had to make a split second decision to point to the spot or not (the second one was barely noticeable), and the game could well be finished by now.

Liverpool looking a better team, and Sturridge scored a cracker. Quaresma would be proud of that.
posted by lmfsilva at 12:41 PM on May 18, 2016

Just back from work, watching online via bt sport. Sevilla looking the better side at the minute. unfortunately.
posted by marienbad at 1:02 PM on May 18, 2016

And now it's 2-1 to Sevilla, and we do not look like we are going to get back into this.
posted by marienbad at 1:10 PM on May 18, 2016

well fuck
posted by robocop is bleeding at 1:13 PM on May 18, 2016

Damn.
posted by marienbad at 1:21 PM on May 18, 2016

:(
posted by Rock Steady at 1:31 PM on May 18, 2016

The problem for LFC all season (and last) has been the defence, and it has cost us tonight. We need to sort this over the summer or we will never get anywhere.
posted by marienbad at 1:48 PM on May 18, 2016

That and not taking advantage of the crazy new "Why Not Just Slap The Ball?" rules the refs were allowing.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 1:49 PM on May 18, 2016

I missed the first half as I was at work and couldn't see it, but on the BBC live text they were complaining about this. The palaver on the third goal, where the linesman flagged for offside and then lowered his flag was a joke as well.
posted by marienbad at 1:52 PM on May 18, 2016

And the guy rolling around holding his face after the slightest of contact from Origi. Pathetic.
posted by marienbad at 1:53 PM on May 18, 2016

Couldn't watch at work, so bore the agony of watching the Guardian MBM slowly update. :-(
posted by idb at 1:54 PM on May 18, 2016 [1 favorite]

Trying REALLY HARD to maintain a respectful silence, you guys.

#ToffeeRevenge ;)
posted by Celsius1414 at 1:55 PM on May 18, 2016

:-) - personally, I'm a long-distance lover of Liverpool, so I have no particular investment in the Everton rivalry. That said, to my eyes, they have been extremely classy and supportive with regard to Hillsborough and they are a team I usually enjoy watching play.

Then again....4-0 wasn't it? Benitez the next manager? :-)
posted by idb at 12:55 PM on May 19, 2016

My laptop kind of melted down during the second half. Like Liverpool.
posted by lmfsilva at 4:36 AM on May 23, 2016