The final of the Europa League: Sevilla vs Benfica

[Faliro]

Fascinating game. So balanced in such a strange way.

The Sevilla Croat number 10 was the best player on the pitch. They love those super talented number 10s at Sevilla and I love the way they build the team around that player like Barcelona do with their best player..

The team with the better players overall was Benfica.

The team with the best midfield and defence was Benfica.

The team with the best attacking forward players was Sevilla.

For me - there was one key difference.  Sevilla are hardened. How they survived 120 minutes was insane, really. But when it came to show their metal at the end, it was there. A combination of luck and Benfica's poor finishing got them to penalties, but once they got there, ruthless.

I can't imagine a team like Sevilla ever allowing a player like Oscar Cardozo in their team for so many years. Benfica have a certain softness. I don't know why, maybe the league doesn't bring out the ruthlessness the way La Liga does to Spanish teams. The Sevilla team are arseholes, but that wins games. The Benfica team were superior athletes and in most cases superior players, but wrapped in wool.

Sadly, I can't disagree much with you. The thing is, our coach is already a bit of a loser, and then we have players like Lima, Rodrigo and Gaitán that have a very weak mentality. Luisão and Garay were truly the only ones who deserved to win tonight.

Honestly, 15-20 minutes in or so, after Sulejmani got injured, I had a feeling we weren't going to make it tonight.

Maybe I need to take football less seriously before it kills me or something...

Can only imagine the pain this game caused. When there was that chance for Benfica on 71' - missed, scuffed? I sensed something strange might happen. The moment Cardozo came on... I had a bad feeling for Benfica. Also Gomes being greedy and shooting when he should pass and the Sulejmani injury. Also, the Benfica fans so wanted the win, they were almost celebrating the team to victory - they looked like Befica had already scored.. Was a bizarre evening, but a super game for the neutral. Great European final, on another day, Benfica could have won that game 3-1.

[Festivus]

Fascinating game. So balanced in such a strange way.

The Sevilla Croat number 10 was the best player on the pitch. They love those super talented number 10s at Sevilla and I love the way they build the team around that player like Barcelona do with their best player..

The team with the better players overall was Benfica.

The team with the best midfield and defence was Benfica.

The team with the best attacking forward players was Sevilla.

For me - there was one key difference.  Sevilla are hardened. How they survived 120 minutes was insane, really. But when it came to show their metal at the end, it was there. A combination of luck and Benfica's poor finishing got them to penalties, but once they got there, ruthless.

I can't imagine a team like Sevilla ever allowing a player like Oscar Cardozo in their team for so many years. Benfica have a certain softness. I don't know why, maybe the league doesn't bring out the ruthlessness the way La Liga does to Spanish teams. The Sevilla team are arseholes, but that wins games. The Benfica team were superior athletes and in most cases superior players, but wrapped in wool.

Sadly, I can't disagree much with you. The thing is, our coach is already a bit of a loser, and then we have players like Lima, Rodrigo and Gaitán that have a very weak mentality. Luisão and Garay were truly the only ones who deserved to win tonight.

Honestly, 15-20 minutes in or so, after Sulejmani got injured, I had a feeling we weren't going to make it tonight.

Maybe I need to take football less seriously before it kills me or something...

Can only imagine the pain this game caused. When there was that chance for Benfica on 71' - missed, scuffed? I sensed something strange might happen. The moment Cardozo came on... I had a bad feeling for Benfica. Also Gomes being greedy and shooting when he should pass and the Sulejmani injury. Also, the Benfica fans so wanted the win, they were almost celebrating the team to victory - they looked like Befica had already scored.. Was a bizarre evening, but a super game for the neutral. Great European final, on another day, Benfica could have won that game 3-1.

Well, first of all, all those absences kinda hurt us. But still, we could have won this game if Rodrigo and Lima hadn't wasted so many shots. And man, Maxi should have not hesitated when he had that chance. And don't even get me started on Gaitán...

I had a feeling Cardozo was not gonna help us much either. The man was injured for a long time and has not recovered his pace and form ever since. His penalty kick was just pathetic, although I blame Jesus even more for assigning him to score it. At least Lima scored his own PK. And also, great attitude from Luisão by having the balls to score the PK that could have been the end for us. He was a true captain tonight.

The players were nervous and not feeling confident tonight. A team with that attitude does not win European trophies.

[Faliro]

Luisao looked supreme tonight. The English commentary mentioned it. ''He is a player who has got better as he has got older.''

the game had the feeling if Benfica just got one, they would score 2 or 3 more. Benfica just needed the first goal..everyone sensed it, especially the Sevilla fans who looked as nervous as hell. Their team had lost 3 of the 4 games and how they held on was insane.

As you said, I think with a full team, you would have walked this final, esp with players like Markovic..

[Festivus]

Luisao looked supreme tonight. The English commentary mentioned it. ''He is a player who has got better as he has got older.''

the game had the feeling if Benfica just got one, they would score 2 or 3 more. Benfica just needed the first goal..everyone sensed it, especially the Sevilla fans who looked as nervous as hell. Their team had lost 3 of the 4 games and how they held on was insane.

As you said, I think with a full team, you would have walked this final, esp with players like Markovic..

Markovic is more of a secret weapon kind of player for now, though. Even if he was available, I would not have started him. I'd have subbed him in at minute 60 or so.

Dunno if we'd have walked it. Hell, we'll never know.

Honestly, I'd rather have been knocked out by Fenerbahçe and Juventus. I have a feeling that if Braga hadn't knocked us out in 2011, it'd just have been another one added to the collection. It's pretty sad and embarrassing to have the record of lost European finals.

[Faliro]

Just thinking about what you were saying Festivus, remember the game at Olympiakos?
You outplayed us for most of 90 minutes and still lost. You played some of the best football I have seen against Olympiakos in our own home. But the killed bite for the goals was not there either that night.

I am sure, with a full team you could have done it tonight.

I think all those finals are a huge achievement and you are missing only one small ingredient to turn those finals into victories - some ruthlessness. I am not talking about fouling or being aggressive, you just need some bony - aggressive forward players. But this is just my opinion. I am still shocked Benfica lost.. however benfica rightly deserve their spot at the top of the European game. The athleticism of your team is incredible. Penalties would always suit Sevilla in this situation, they were disintegrating on the 115' mark.

[Festivus]

I do remember it, yes. But I don't believe in moral victories. Luck is part of the game and all winning teams own the heart of lady luck. What's going down in history is that you beat us and we lost. Nobody, 100 years form now is gonna look at the score and think "Olympiakos won, but I'm sure Benfica outplayed them."

Honestly, our team, starting with our coach, is too emotional and everyone loses their confidence and their head quickly when things aren't going our way. That's where a true leader should come in, something that our coach is not.

Things were going well this season and some of our fans believed that we could have some "divine" help, so to speak, from our deceased legends. But then a loss comes and you realize that it's just supersticious wishful thinking. I don't believe in cruses or gods.

I am proud of our European history despite all those losses, but it's hard when you think that you could have 10 European trophies in your museum and yet only have 2. People talk about Juventus having lost many finals, but at least they have won the Cup Winner's Cup and the UEFA Cup aside from the 2 ECCs/CLs. And they didn't lose 8 in a damn row like we did.

Yea, I feel kinda frustrated, I know. Haven't eaten anything today since lunch even.

[Godescalco]

After the events of this evening, I am thoroughly convinced that were are never going to win anything on the European level ever again.

[JUVENTINO]

Mamma mia, boys
it's amazing what happened last night.
I never believed in curses, but last night something in me has changed.
Damn Guttman.
However, another spectacular game that ... on the wings fast external side game modules, intensity ... it just takes a big ass to win an international competition, but you can not program your ass.
That said, I look at the game.
First time quite ugly.
Second Half much more crisp ... with a lot of scoring chances wasted by both the Benfica from Seville, but all in all Benfica have played better.
In extra time, the Bnefica not continued the good that he did see the second half.
Perhaps the fear prevailed.
Then the penalties.
More determined the Spaniards, the Portuguese neurotic and desperate.
Result: The Europa League goes to Spain.

[Andrija Balic 16]

Can anybody make a topic about Benfica general on this English board,please. This is very big club and top10 in Europe for years. Luck will turn 

[Lm27]

During the regular time Benfica did good, but it wasnt cynical....
Too many missed chances.

Then I dont like  penalties at all...wrong attitude

And for some reason, I dont like Cardozo...I think he has a negative attitude and a weak personality when it counts

[IPASLB]

Fascinating game. So balanced in such a strange way.

The Sevilla Croat number 10 was the best player on the pitch. They love those super talented number 10s at Sevilla and I love the way they build the team around that player like Barcelona do with their best player..

The team with the better players overall was Benfica.

The team with the best midfield and defence was Benfica.

The team with the best attacking forward players was Sevilla.

For me - there was one key difference.  Sevilla are hardened. How they survived 120 minutes was insane, really. But when it came to show their metal at the end, it was there. A combination of luck and Benfica's poor finishing got them to penalties, but once they got there, ruthless.

I can't imagine a team like Sevilla ever allowing a player like Oscar Cardozo in their team for so many years. Benfica have a certain softness. I don't know why, maybe the league doesn't bring out the ruthlessness the way La Liga does to Spanish teams. The Sevilla team are arseholes, but that wins games. The Benfica team were superior athletes and in most cases superior players, but wrapped in wool.

Ye but our best midfielder did not played- Enzo, even our best right winger- Salvio and also Markovic, even our best defensive midfielder- Fejsa, not even our best right back defender- Sílvio...

[PsychoFan]

Too many poor individualities in Benfica last night. That strategy to recover the ball and immediately accelerate did not work, no individual quality to it. Benfica usually does this, but it's only with some players like Enzo, Markovic and Gaitán, but yesterday were all the players, it was ridiculous the amount of lost balls. Jorge Jesus was badly in the chapter of substitutions, that hesitation in the injury of Sulejmani says it all, he was not brave, as it's usual in these big games. Then, that extra-time with all the team "dead", and he does not make substitutions until the last minutes before the penalties. He didn't want to resolve the game, "playing". He was waiting for luck in the penalties. Inadmissível.

[PsychoFan]

During the regular time Benfica did good, but it wasnt cynical....
Too many missed chances.

Then I dont like  penalties at all...wrong attitude

And for some reason, I dont like Cardozo...I think he has a negative attitude and a weak personality when it counts

He was very anxious to score a goal, it was a mistake to put him score the 1st penalty. 

[Senhor_Beef]

I'm very sad for you guys that Benfica didn't win. I enjoyed watching the game, the second half was very good, and I thought Benfica were the better team, but there was some poor decision making in front of goal.

I read some of the Jesus thread on the portuguese board last night and was quite surprised at the criticisms, because you could argue that getting to two consecutive finals is a very good achievement, but I do see Festivus's point... I did feel like the team lacked some belief. Some people say the penalty shootout is a lottery but in reality I think it's a test of mental strength, which sadly Benfica failed last night.

You will win one eventually, soon hopefully, and the media can stop with this stupid curse talk which will probably help the players gain some more belief. Who knows, maybe you will go on to win 8 in a row

[Lm27]

During the regular time Benfica did good, but it wasnt cynical....
Too many missed chances.

Then I dont like  penalties at all...wrong attitude

And for some reason, I dont like Cardozo...I think he has a negative attitude and a weak personality when it counts

He was very anxious to score a goal, it was a mistake to put him score the 1st penalty.

An actually very big mistake....
Cardozo was the worst choice in that situation.
And Rodrigo isnt a good choice...too much pressure for a young player