Sevilla brought a happy ending to their UEFA Champions League campaign, their win over Juventus, combined with Mönchengladbach's 4-2 reverse at Manchester City, earning a spring defence of their UEFA Europa League title.
In a match packed with chances, with Paulo Dybala a constant threat and Álvaro Morata wasting openings in both halves, Sevilla emerged victorious – Fernando Llorente's towering header clinching a result that put the UEFA Europa League holders in third place in Group D and back into the competition that has brought them four trophies in ten seasons.
Desperate to finish a disappointing campaign on a high, Sevilla's over-eagerness could have cost them dear early on, a slick-looking Juventus threatening via Morata twice, Dybala and Stefano Sturaro in the first 15 minutes.
And though Llorente then enjoyed a glorious chance to net against his former employers, his intentions read well by Gianluigi Buffon, the next opportunity – and clearest of the half – fell to Morata on 25 minutes, the Spain striker somehow poking wide after a lay-off by the excellent Dybala.
Again Sevilla roared back through 'El León' Llorente, a header this time saved well by Buffon, but soon Dybala was back threatening the Hispalenses' goal – his curling free-kick requiring Sergio Rico to fling himself at full stretch.
The second period began in a similar fashion, blood and thunder aplenty from the hosts yet recurring danger from Juve. However with the trickery of Yevhen Konoplyanka ever more to the fore, Sevilla continued to believe, a faith rewarded past the hour when the Ukraine winger's superb corner was nodded home by Llorente.
Deciding to stick rather than twist, replacing Konoplyanka with Michael Krohn-Dehli, Unai Emery’s decision paid off as Los Hispalenses clung on to their 1-0 win. Riding their luck when Dybala’s late drive struck the crossbar and Morata was denied in injury time one-on-one, Sevilla were handed a yearned-for Europa League berth by Mönchengladbach’s late collapse at Manchester City.
Determined to prove himself as Sevilla’s first-choice striker, and against his former club to boot, Fernando Llorente led the line with aplomb – twice testing Buffon in the first period and netting the game’s only goal with a trademark header just past the hour mark.
Enjoying greater freedom to run at the Juve defence after the interval, Yevhen Konoplyanka’s twinkling feet and deft right foot were the key that unlocked Juventus’ backline – the winger winning then supplying the corner for Llorente’s goal.
Desperately unlucky to be on the losing side, the Argentinian front-man tried everything in a bid to make a breakthrough, denied several times by Sergio Rico and, late on, by the crossbar. Possessing speed, strength and skill, this boy is going places.
Keywords:Fernando Llorente, Sevilla, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Champions League, Juventus, Mönchengladbach, Manchester City, Paulo Dybala, Álvaro Morata, Buffon, Unai Emery
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