European media react to Sevilla's success

SPAIN:
Estadio Deportivo
Words cannot do justice to what Sevilla keep doing. Last night they came from a goal behind to crush Liverpool, with a perfect second half to lift a fifth — yes, that's right, a fifth — Europa League in ten years; the third in a row, something that no team has ever done before.

[Liverpool have] won five European Cups and three UEFA Cups, but met their match in the judge and the jury of this competition – a Sevilla side who know it better than anyone and want it more than anyone.

Marca
There's no doubt that playing a Europa League final in any old shirt is not the same as doing so while wearing the colours of Sevilla. The old continental trophy smiles when the Hispalaneses come onto the pitch.

The Europa League is at home in the Sanchez Pizjuan as La Giralda [the bell tower of Seville Cathedral] is in Seville. It's another monument of the Andalusian capital. Sevilla know first-hand the quickest way to enjoy football and are aware that the biggest budgets in Europe are far from their possibilities, so they focus on a competition that should pay homage to the club that has shown it the most devotion. Sevilla are a huge club that have made the second biggest competition in world football far greater.

AS
Sevilla never tire of winning a competition that they have made their own in recent history. What authority they have shown in the tournament! What a brilliant performance in the second half, and, with such authority and depth! What great ambassadors they are for our league! What a success Unai Emery has been, confronting Klopp, who he outsmarted so emphatically! What a great club Sevilla is!

Liverpool players at full-time©Getty Images

ENGLAND:
Liverpool Echo
[Liverpool fans] have been treated to a joyride in the Europa League this season as Liverpool claimed the scalps of Manchester United, Borussia Dortmund and Villarreal in thrilling fashion. But the conclusion was pure car crash.

Telegraph
It was scarcely believable how poor Liverpool were in the second half, an imitation of the side that reached the final and had put themselves in control after 45 minutes.

Guardian
Liverpool will feel not just the pain of defeat and of dampened carnival expectation, but also the tangible loss of a Champions League spot and all its attendant benefits. But the fact remains, this would have felt like a sneaking in through the cat-flap for an eighth-placed team of someone else's odds and ends which is still being furiously stripped down and made over. For Liverpool the challenge now is to take what they can from their own thrilling run to this final.

BBC
Liverpool had so much riding on this game. The lure of Champions League football, set alongside the chance to play for Klopp and at Anfield, would have completed an attractive package to set before any potential signings. Now they cannot offer any sort of European football as they ended well beaten here in another night of disappointment for Klopp, who has now lost five successive finals with Dortmund and Liverpool. Liverpool will still attract players of high class, but a crucial plank in their transfer strategy has been removed by this defeat.

FRANCE
L'Équipe
What happened at half-time to make this such a different game after the restart?

GERMANY
Süddeutsche Zeitung
Perhaps it is just love. Or could there be a rational explanation why Sevilla have won the Europa League for a third time in a row? For Jürgen Klopp and Liverpool, it was just painful.

Zeit Online
Spanish football has better coaches, more talented players and more clever scouts. They are simply the best!

BELGIUM
Het Laatste Nieuws
Liverpool seemed to be on the way to victory thanks to a world-class Sturridge goal, but after the break the game changed. The Spanish played in a higher gear and beat [Belgian goalkeeper] Mignolet three times.

CROATIA
Sportske novosti
Sevilla were better, more organised, solid and in the second half simply outplayed the Reds.

Jutarnji list
Our own Dejan Lovren became the sixth Croatian to lose in the final of this competition (including UEFA Cup)... Emery has a 100% record in the finals; two years ago he defeated Benfica, last year Dnipro and now Liverpool.

CZECH REPUBLIC
Sport
The Sevilla Cup? Yes, it is still the case. This team has been made for the UEFA Europa League.

MF Dnes
That was a fantastic turnaround with three goals in 25 minutes.

NETHERLANDS
De Telegraaf
In first half, Sevilla could not relieve the Liverpool pressure but the break served them well. After the early equaliser, Sevilla had the upper hand and could complete their unbelievable cup hat-trick.

ROMANIA
Gazeta Sportutilor
The Europa League experts; Spanish happiness, English tears.

Libertatea
Spain are the bosses of Europe. Since 2008, the Spanish teams won 18 out of 26 European trophies.

RUSSIA
Sport-Express
We are proud to have had such a coach in Russia [Unai Emery worked for six months at Spartak Moskva before heading to Sevilla].

Sovetskiy Sport
Jürgen Klopp failed to save Liverpool's season and we will not see him in the UEFA Champions League in the autumn. However we will see Unai Emery and his team, who more than deserved this achievement.

UKRAINE
Vesti
Experienced cup battlers, Sevilla achieved an incredible feat by getting the maximum following their equaliser.