Sevilla edge Inter Milan in exhilarating Europa League final to become six-time champions

Sevilla 3-2 Inter Milan: Julen Lopetegui’s side lifted the trophy once again after a frantic back-and-forth final

(EPA)

Whether the touch off his left toe made the difference or not, Romelu Lukaku will know it was not enough to prevent Internazionale from losing this thrilling Europa League final in devastating fashion, nor enough to prevent the most successful club in this competition’s history from winning their sixth title. Sevilla are once again kings of European football’s secondary tournament, courtesy of a cruelly deflected Diego Carlos overhead kick.

Carlos was officially credited as the scorer, though Lukaku’s slumped shoulders and bowed head as Sevilla's players celebrated suggested that the deviation off his foot meant he considered it an own goal. For a centre-forward who had earlier scored his 34th of the campaign, equalling Ronaldo Nazario’s record for an Inter player in their first year at the club, it was a cruel way to end an extraordinary debut season.

It meant Inter’s nine-year wait for a trophy will now stretch into a decade, but it also meant redemption for Julen Loeptegui. Back in 2018, he walked away from the Spain national team on the eve of the World Cup for Real Madrid, only to be sacked after only months in the role. A similar fate seemed likely earlier this year though his persistence has been rewarded with his first silverware as a coach.

Despite the constant churn of players, despite never being quite able to last among Europe’s elite, Sevilla remain strangely dominant at this subsidiary level. Few fancied Lopetegui’s side at the start of this mini-tournament in north-west Germany a fortnight ago, though two goals from Luuk de Jong and Lukaku’s touch reminded everyone at the RheinEnergieStadion in Cologne to ignore their Europa League pedigree at your peril.

Lukaku opened the scoring for Inter (Getty) (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Just as against Manchester United in the semi-finals, a noisy band of the Spanish club’s dignitaries with flags and scarves sat high on the edge of the second tier compensated for the absence of any Andalusian crowd. They would eventually be celebrating long into the night but again, just as against United in the semi-finals, they spent the first few minutes roaring in vain protest as Carlos conceded an early penalty.

If Carlos is a genuine target for the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal during this window, he must hope they missed the first three minutes, as well as the two other spot-kicks he has conceded during his mini-tournament. And as fouls go, he could have been slightly more subtle. The manner in which he wrestled Lukaku from behind just as he entered the penalty area left no room for doubt in the mind of referee Danny Makkelle.

Lukaku converted low and hard into the bottom-left hand corner to score in an 11th consecutive Europa League game and draw level with Ronaldo. His childhood memories of watching the Brazilian in this competition played a key part in his decision to opt for Milan over Turin while choosing his escape route out of Old Trafford last summer and to have matched him will still be a much-cherished milestone in his career, even if his evening would have a heartbreaking climax.

Luuk De Jong headed past Samir Handanovic twice (Getty) (AFP via Getty Images)

The similarities with Sunday’s semi-final at this ground did not start and end with an early penalty. Once again, Sevilla once again responded to going behind with a furious intensity. Once again, Jesus Navas had time and space to pick out a cross from the right. Once again, De Jong evaded the attention of the opposition defence and punished their carelessness emphatically.

Sunday’s match-winner restored parity with a brilliant diving header. Samir Handanovic’s reactions were fast enough to reach the ball but his hand was not strong enough to stop it, such was the force of De Jong’s connection. The pace was set and tempers began to fray, but the first yellow card was shown on the other side of the touchline. Conte protested another penalty shout against Carlos - this time for handball - too vigorously.

Conte’s mood did not improve when De Jong put Sevilla ahead with a simple yet devastating set-piece routine. The Newcastle outcast again slipped by unnoticed, running behind Inter’s line of defence, as Ever Banega swung a free-kick to the far post. Roberto Gagliardini eventually spotted De Jong’s run but too late to prevent another fine header, this one across a helpless Handanovic and into the far corner.

Sevilla celebrate their victory (EPA)

And yet, in-keeping with this breathless start, that lead lasted no more than three minutes. If De Jong’s far-post arrival was all studied and considered, the product of practice on the training ground, Godin’s connection with Marcelo Brozovic’s free-kick was borne of brute force. Set-pieces do not always have to be smart. Sometimes it is enough to just out-jump your marker and direct the ball well. It was enough to draw Inter level.

Lukaku should perhaps have completed the turnaround when put through one-on-one midway through the second half. Instead, he shot straight into Bono. It was a bad miss, but would not be the worst moment of his evening. With just over a quarter-of-an-hour remaining, Inter failed to properly clear another Banega set-piece. Carlos’ bicycle kick was hopeful at best but crucially, it sent the ball into an area which asked questions of Inter. Lukaku stuck his boot out in an attempt to block and clear, then quickly realised he had given the wrong answer.