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- Sevilla v Roma
- Wednesday May 31, 2023, 15:00 ET
- At Puskas Arena
Roma is considered the underdog going into this game but Jose Mourinho’s team looks a good pick for Europa League Final success.
Who do Bettors Favor?
The best online sportsbooks it is clear that bettors favor Sevilla in this game, though not by a wide margin. The Spanish team is the +167 favorite to win, while Roma is rated as a +198 chance, and the draw is available at around +200.
| Europa League Final |  |  |  |
| Sevilla | +167 | +163 | +165 |
| Draw | +195 | +202 | +195 |
| Roma | +198 | +194 | +195 |
Sevilla Close Remarkable Season
Sevilla, which holds the record for most Europa League victories, is vying for an extraordinary seventh title in this final game, which brings down the curtain on a remarkable season.
The majority of Sevilla’s La Liga season has been spent fighting relegation, but since the appointment of Jose Luis Mendilibar as its third coach of the season, the club has witnessed a remarkable transformation. Mendilibar led the team past Manchester United as well as Juventus on its way to the final in Hungary, giving the club the opportunity to enhance its dominance in the Europa League.
The semi-final against Juventus was a tight contest, with the first leg ending 1-1 and the second leg ending 0-0, but Erik Lamela’s header in extra time gave Sevilla the advantage, and the team held on to reach yet another final.
Mourinho Aiming for Record
Roma has had a less eventful domestic season than Sevilla, but its manager Jose Mourinho could make history by becoming the first manager to win the tournament with three separate clubs. Mourinho won the competition in 2003 with Porto and in 2017 with Manchester United.
In the second leg of the semi-final, with a 1-0 lead heading to Bayer Leverkusen, Roma shut the doors on their opponents, managing just one shot on goal, but doing enough to battle to a two-leg victory.
In Serie A, Roma’s challenge hasn’t been quite as tenacious, and it has a slender chance of cracking the top four, so winning this game is the club’s best chance of qualifying for the Champions League next season. Few managers are better than Mourinho at winning decisive elimination games, however, and he is sure to have a few surprises up his sleeve.
Europa League Head-to-Head
The head-to-head record shows that these two teams have met once before in European competition. That game also took place in the Europa League, in 2020, at the Round of 16 stage. The game was held in August thanks to the effects of the COVID-19 lockdown, and it ended with a 2-0 win for the Spanish team as it continued its march towards yet another Europa League title.
Europa League Team News
The outlook for Sevilla’s team remains uncertain. Two central defenders, Marcao and Tanguy Nianzou, sustained injuries at the end of April and will not be available until the beginning of the next season. Jesus Navas will be available for selection after serving a recent suspension, whereas left-back Marcos Acuna will be unavailable due to an indirect card suspension.
Chris Smalling and Paulo Dybala will be crucial to Roma’s chances in this match and both should be available here. In particular, Dybala would be a significant addition, as the Roma front line has struggled to generate opportunities and score goals in recent games, and the Argentinian superstar would provide much-needed attacking vigor.
Roma also has defensive holes to fill. Right-back Rick Karsdorp and central defender Marash Kumbulla will not be returning this season. Leonardo Spinazzola and Zeki Celic are out with muscle injuries, but could return for this match, as could Lorenzo Pellegrini, who, like Paulo Dybala, is dealing with an ankle injury.
Europa League Match Betting Pick
Sevilla’s record in this competition is extraordinary, and that could offer them an advantage in this match, as the self-confidence that comes from dominating a tournament is not typically present in high-level knockout football finals such as the Europa League.
The team’s performance under its third manager this season has been truly extraordinary, so it should come as no surprise that it is the favorite to win a seventh crown here.
However, bookmakers may be disregarding the Mourinho factor. The illustrious manager may not be as formidable as he once was, but if his ability to deliver league titles has diminished in recent years, his Cup competition success rate has not. Mourinho is one of the best around at preparing a team for a crucial one-off match, and I believe his Roma is the best pick here.
Best Online Sportsbooks to Bet on the Europa League
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