Sevilla vs AS Roma ended on high drama 4-1 on penalties on Wednesday to win the Europa League for a record-extending seventh time for Sevilla. Handing Jose Mourinho his first defeat in six European finals.
Sevilla keeper Yassine Bounou saved spot kicks from Gianluca Mancini and Roger Ibanez while Sevilla were flawless in their execution, scoring their first four. The game had finished 1-1 after extra time.
Paulo Dybala gave the Italians the lead from a counter-attack in the 35th minute but Sevilla then took control of the game and found the equaliser thanks to an own-goal by Mancini in the 55th minute.
The win means Sevilla will compete in next season's Champions League despite finishing outside the top four in the LaLiga.
Sevilla vs AS Roma: Match Summary
Gonzalo Montiel's retaken spot kick ensured that Sevilla became Europa League champions for the seventh time in their history as they defeated Jose Mourinho's Roma on penalties at the end of a torturous final in Budapest.
Sevilla dominated the ball for large swathes of the first half, but couldn't break down Mourinho's resolute side and it was the Italian outfit that took the lead just after the half hour mark when Paolo Dybala, an injury doubt coming into the game, fired calmly past Bounou to send the Roma fans into delirium.
Increíble mi Sevilla… ¡¡Ya van siete!! Enhorabuena por seguir haciendo historia, @SevillaFC ¡Os lo merecéis! 💪🏻 https://t.co/fyOiTALLLd
Still Sevilla dominated, with Ivan Rakitic hitting the inside of the post in first-half stoppage time as Jose Mourinho's side held on.
The second half of Sevilla vs AS Roma, however, was a different story. With Sevilla introducing both Luis Ocampos and Suso, the European specialists looked much more of a threat and deservedly levelled the tie 10 minutes into the second half when Gianluca Mancini could only bundle a Jesus Navas cross into his own net.
Twenty minutes later, Sevilla's pressure looked as though it had forced another mistake from Roma, only for VAR to overturn Anthony Taylor's decision to award a penalty for a clumsy-looking challenge from Ibanez.
Extra time beckoned, with neither side threatening, and an extra 30 minutes failed to seperate the sides either in a game that turned into a low quality affair, leaving the two sides only to be seperated by a penalty shoot out.
Roma defenders Gianluca Mancini and Roger Ibanez both saw their efforts saved and hit the woodwork, leaving Gonzalo Montiel to slot home the winner as he did for Argentina in the World Cup six months prior.
He too missed, but was handed a second chance when the referee spotted encroachment, and made no mistake second time round, handing the Spanish giants an unprecedented seventh Europa League title.
Top 11 players with most matches in Laliga history
Explore the top 11 players with the most appearances in La Liga, including legends like Andoni Zubizarreta, Joaquín, and Lionel Messi, as well as current stars such as Antoine Griezmann.
The Spanish League, or Laliga, is the second most-viewed football league in the world. It is regarded as one of the top five elite European leagues and has legendary clubs. Many football legends played in this league but only a few of them managed to play for a long duration and hold the record of most matches in Laliga. Here is the list of the top 11 players with the most matches in Laliga.
Top 11 players with the most matches in Laliga history:
RANK
PLAYERS
NATION
CLUBS
GOALS
APPEARANCE
1.
Joaquin
Spain
Real Betis, Malaga CF, and Valencia
77
622
2.
Andoni Zubizarreta
Spain
Valencia, Athletic Bilbao, Deportivo Alaves, FC Barcelona
0
622
3.
Raul Garcia
Spain
Athletic Bilbao, Atletico Madrid, CA Osasuna
111
609
4.
Raul
Spain
Real Madrid CF
228
550
5.
Loren Juarros
Spain
Real Sociedad, Real Burgos, Athletic Bilbao
64
546
6.
Eusebio
Spain
Real Valladolid, FC Barcelona Celta Vigo, Atletico Madrid
36
543
7.
Paco Buyo
Spain
Real Madrid, Sevilla, Mallorca, RCD Coruna
0
542
8.
Sergio Ramos
Spain
Sevilla, Real Madrid
77
536
9.
Manolo Sanchis
Spain
Real Madrid CF
33
523
10.
Antoine Griezmann
France
FC Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Real Sociedad
198
520
11.
Lionel Messi
Argentina/Spain
FC Barcelona
474
520
11. Lionel Messi | FC Barcelona | 520 Matches
Image Credit: FC Barcelona
One of the greatest players to ever grace this sport, Lionel Messi ranks 11th in the most matches in Laliga history's list with 520 appearances.
The Argentine forward came to Spain at a very young age and played for FC Barcelona since he was a teenager. The Catalan talisman also holds the record for the most goals in Laliga, with 474 strikes.
10. Antoine Griezmann | FC Barcelona, Real Sociedad, Atletico Madrid | 520 Matches
Image Credit: Sports Now
Antoine Griezmann has now played 520 matches in Laliga, making him one of the players with the most matches in Laliga history.
The French international has been a pivotal player for both Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad, including his short spell in FC Barcelona. Although a player like this has never been crowned with a Laliga title, his dedication to the game has made him one of the greatest players in the league.
Manolo Sanchis was a Centre-back and represented Real Madrid in 523 matches, making him one of the players with the most matches in Laliga. The legendary defender won the league a total of eight times and also has two Spanish Cups in his cabinet.
8. Sergio Ramos | Real Madrid CF, Sevilla | 536 Matches
Image Credit: Football Espana
Sergio Ramos has made 536 appearances in Laliga, making him the eighth player in this list of the most matches in Laliga history.
The legendary Spanish Centre-back represented Sevilla and then Real Madrid in the competition multiple times. The former Spaniard won four UEFA Champions League titles with Real Madrid.
Paco Buyo is one of only two goalkeepers on the list who has played the most matches in Laliga history. He made 542 appearances in Laliga, turning out mostly for Real Madrid. Buyo has a special place in the club's history and won the league title six times with Real Madrid.
6. Eusebio | Real Valladolid, Celta Vigo, FC Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid | 543 Matches
Image Credit: FC Barcelona
Eusebio is regarded as one of the greatest midfielders, and he played his career's most matches in Laliga. The Spanish midfielder played 543 matches in Laliga, representing four clubs. Eusebio is a FC Barcelona legend, having won four titles with them. He retired from his professional career in 2002 and has since become a manager.
5. Loren Juarros | Real Sociedad, Real Burgos, Athletic Bilbao | 546 Matches
Image Credit: SUR
Loren Juarros is a former Spanish footballer and is known for his longevity in Laliga, having played 546 matches in the competition. Primarily a defender, he spent most of his career at Real Sociedad becoming a club legend.
His impressive appearance tally places him among the players with the most matches in Laliga. After retiring, Lorren transitioned into a sporting director role, contributing to Real Sociedad's player recruitment and development plan.
4. Raul | Real Madrid CF | 550 Matches
Image Credit: UEFA
Raul was one of the most lethal strikers the sport has ever seen. A club legend for Real Madrid, he made over 550 matches and cemented his in the most matches in Laliga history list.
The Spaniard scored 228 goals as well during that time. He won six La Liga titles and three UEFA Champions League titles with the club. Currently, he is the manager of Real Madrid Castilla.
Raul Garcia has carved his place in football history by becoming one of the players with the most matches in Laliga, totaling an incredible 609 appearances.
The Spanish midfielder is known for his versatility and leadership. He played for CA Osasuna, Atletico Madrid, and Athletic Bilbao, leaving a lasting impact at each club. His longevity and consistency made him a key figure in Spanish football.
2. Andoni Zubizarreta | Valencia, Athletic Bilbao, Deportivo Alaves, FC Barcelona | 622 Matches
Image Credit: 90 Min
Andoni Zubizarreta made 622 appearances and is the player with the second-most matches in Laliga. The Goalkeeper extensively for Athletic Bilbao, Valencia, Deportivo Alaves, and FC Barcelona.
He won the league a total of six times, four with FC Barcelona and two with Athletic Bilbao. Zubizarreta retired from the sport in 1998.
1. Joaquin | Real Betis, Malaga CF, and Valencia | 622 Matches
Image Credit: Euro Sport
Joaquin holds the record for the most matches in Laliga, with 622 appearances throughout his career. The Spanish winger, known for his time at Real Betis, Valencia, and Malaga CF, surpassed the previous record of 622 matches held by Andoni Zubizarreta.
Spanish Super Cup: Here are the last 10 past winners
FC Barcelona secured the Spanish Super Cup for the 4th time in the last 10 years and 15th time overall by beating their arch-rivals dominantly, Real Madrid 5-2. Let's check the list of past 10 Spanish Super Cup Winners.
Barcelona are the current champions of Spanish Super Cup. Image | Getty Images
Spanish Super Cup, popularly known as the "Copa del Rey" is the most prestigious Cup competition in Spain. Here is the list of the Past 10 Winners of the most elite title in the history of Spain:
Barcelona came from an early goal down to beat Real Madrid 5-2 in the Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday, scoring four goals in a dominant first half and surviving having their goalkeeper sent off to clinch a record-extending 15th trophy.
🎙️ ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI: "It doesn't matter who we are playing, it doesn't matter where we are playing, we always want to win." #ElClásicopic.twitter.com/qgwoGUmk5c
Athletic Bilbao defeated Mallorca 4-2 in the penalty shootout, after a 1-1 draw following extra time, to claim their 24th Spanish Super Cup title to recover their 40-year absence from major trophy success after reaching the final for the 40th time.
The last time they won the Spanish Super Cup was way back in 1984.
2023 Spanish Super Cup Winner- Real Madrid
Real Madrid won the 2023 Spanish Super Cup by beating Osasuna 2-1 on May 6, 2023, at the Estadio de La Cartuja in Seville. They won the Spanish Super Cup for the 20th time.
Real Madrid participated in their first final since 2014, but finally, they tasted victory in the 121st edition of Spain's premier football cup.
2022 Spanish Super Cup Winner- Real Betis
On 23rd April, Real Betis won the 2022 Spanish Super Cup by beating Valencia 5-4 in a penalty shootout after the match concluded in a 1-1 draw following extra time at La Cartuja in Seville.
Barcelona won the 2021 Spanish Super Cup by beating Athletic Bilbao4-0 at the Estadio de La Cartuja in Seville. It was the 119th edition of the Spanish Super Cup, which includes two seasons featuring rival editions. This was Barcelona's 14th Spanish Cup title.
It was the 2nd Spanish Super Cup for Real Sociedad to recover their 34-year absence from major trophy success. Sociedad won last in wayback 1987.
2019 Spanish Super Cup Winner- Valencia
The 2019 Spanish Super Cup was won by Valencia by beating Barcelona2-1, at the Estadio Benito Villamarín in Seville. Valencia finally ended their trophy drought by securing their 8th title overall since 2008 at the 117th edition of the Spanish Super Cup.
Barcelona won the 2018 Spanish Super Cup by beating Sevilla 5-0 on 21st April 2018 at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid. Barcelona defeated Sevilla 5-0 and secured their 4th consecutive title in the following calendar and their 13th overall in the history of the Spanish Super Cup.
As winners, Barcelona would have been assured a place for the 2017–18 UEFA Europa League group stage. However, since they already qualified for the Champions League by finishing 2nd in La Liga, the berth was instead passed down the league.
2016 Spanish Super Cup Winner- Barcelona
The 2016 Spanish Super Cup final was a football match played on 22 May 2016 to decide the winner of the 2015–16 Spanish Super Cup, the 114th edition of Spain's premier football cup since its establishment. It was played at the Vicente Calderón Stadium in Madrid.
It was won by defending champions Barcelona, who defeated Sevilla 2–0 after extra time to achieve their 28th title. Andrés Iniesta was named man of the match despite Lionel Messi's two assists in both of Barcelona's goals.
List of Past 10 Winners of Spanish Super Cup
Season
Team
Victory Coaches
24/25
Barcelona
Hansi Flick
23/24
Athletic Bilbao
Ernesto Valverde
22/23
Real Madrid
Carlo Ancelotti
21/22
Real Betis Balompié
Manuel Pellegrini
20/21
FC Barcelona
Ronald Koeman
19/20
Real Sociedad
Imanol Alguacil
18/19
Valencia CF
Marcelino
17/18
FC Barcelona
Ernesto Valverde
16/17
FC Barcelona
Luis Enrique
15/16
FC Barcelona
Luis Enrique
So, that concludes the overall stats and list of the past 10 Spanish Super Cup Winners. The list states that Barcelona clearly dominated in the past 10 years in terms of the Spanish Super Cup, as they won 4 times out of six. What do you think? Which is your favorite player from the list above? Let me know and follow Sportz Point for more exciting news and articles.
Artem Dovbyk matches a unique of record of Kylian Mbappe
AS Roma forward Artem Dovbyk has reached a unique milestone by Kylian Mbappe, becoming the second player to score against 20 different opponents in last two seasons.
AS Roma forward Artem Dovbyk has etched his name beside French star Kylian Mbappe, by reaching a remarkable milestone set by the latter.
According to Opta, theUkrainian striker is only the second footballer to score against at least 20 opponents in the last two seasons in the top five European leagues while Kylian Mbappe stays atop, scoring against 22 opponents.
20 - Artem Dovbyk (20) is the second player to score against at least 20 opponents in the last two seasons in the Big-5 European leagues, after Kylian Mbappé (22). Variety.#RomaParma
The 27-year-old forward reached the milestone during AS Roma's 5-0 crushing over Parma in the Serie A yesterday. Dovbyk hammered the last nail in the coffin in the 83rd minute of the game.
Artem Dovbyk entered the premises of the top five European leagues in 2023, when LaLiga side Girona roped him in from Ukrainian side SC Dnipro-1. It became the most expensive transfer in Girona's history.
However, the transfer paid off in the best possible way, as Dovbyk became the top-scorer in the 2023-24 LaLiga, having bagged 24 goals in 36 games. Dovbyk played the most crucial part in Girona's third-place finish in the 2023-24 season and they also qualified for the UEFA Champions League for the first time.
However, Dovbyk moved to Italy in August 2024 after Roma acquired him for €35M on a 5-year deal. Since then, he has played 22 games for the Giallorossi, scoring 9 goals across all competitions.
Every opponent Artem Dovbyk has scored against
(In top-five European Leagues)
Playing for Girona, Dovbyk scored against 15 different opponents in the 2023-24 LaLiga.
Goals scored against
Number of goals scored
Granada
3
Real Betis
3
Sevilla
3
FC Barcelona
2
Almeria
2
Alaves
2
Rayo Vallecano
1
Las Palmas
1
Valencia
1
Villareal
1
Osasuna
1
Cadiz
1
Mallorca
1
Atletico Madrid
1
Real Sociedad
1
Since moving to Roma in July 2024, Dovbyk has scored against five opponents in the 2024-25 Serie A as of now.
Goals scored against
Number of goals scored
Parma
1
Genoa
1
Hellas Verona
1
Udinese
1
Monza
1
*(stats are collected from Transfermarkt and are accurate as of 23 December 2024)
AS Roma appoints Claudio Ranieri as new head coach
Claudio Ranieri arrived in Rome this morning to complete his agreement with AS Roma. The 73-year-old veteran comes out of retirement for his third stint as Roma head coach.
AS Roma have reached an agreement to appoint Claudio Ranieri as the new head coach. The legendary PL-winning manager of Leicester City announced his retirement earlier this year in May after leaving his position at his last club Cagliari. However, Ranieri will take up the charge to be Roma's next manager as AS Roma fired Ivan Juric on 10 November 2024.
According to Gianluca Di Marzio and Florian Plettenberg of SkySports, the 73-year-old veteran manager completed the verbal agreement for a contract until the end of the season yesterday.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Ranieri arrived at the club this morning and signed all the formal documents for his appointment as Roma coach for the third time in his career.
🟡🔴✍🏻 Claudio Ranieri and his lawyers already signed all formal documents for his return to AS Roma as head coach.
Ranieri himself confirmed his appointment after he met the AS Roma president Dan Freidkin and vice president Ryan Friedkin in London on Wednesday. He jokingly told the press on his way back:
"[Roma’s] a tough nut to crack? That’s why they called me!"
"We’re all set—the good guys are coming!"
via Ansa
An official announcement is expected from AS Roma today as Ranieri is all set for this return at his beloved club for the third time as the manager.
One of my favorite moments when Ranieri was at olimpico for Roma Leicester and both sets of fans gave him the round of applause he deserved pic.twitter.com/hrUSlnEcXc
The legendary Jose Mourinho was sacked by AS Roma in January this year. However, Roma legend Daniele De Rossi was appointed as the next head coach for the Giallorossi. Roma finished 6th in Serie A last season under De Rossi but he was eventually fired from his position in September 2024 after going winless in the first 4 matches of Serie A 2024-25.
Following De Rossi's departure, the fans expressed their anger about the decision and Roma CEO Lina Souloukou stepped down. Former Torino coach Ivan Juric was appointed as De Rossi's successor but Roma's worst start in the Serie A in over two decades led to his sacking on 10 November 2024.
AS Roma is currently facing a very difficult situation as they are 12th in this season's Serie A League table as of now, having earned 13 points from 12 matches.
Ranieri's sensational return to Roma
Although Claudio Ranieri is mostly known for Leicester City's folkloric 2015-16 Premier League-winning journey under his managership, the 73-year-old Italian shares a close bond with Italian football, especially with AS Roma.
Ranieri kissing the historic Premier League trophy won by his Leicester side in 2016.
Ranieri announced his retirement from his managerial career after leaving Cagliari in May 2024 this year but now he has returned to his hometown to take up the mantle. Ranieri's third stint with AS Roma begins tomorrow with a first training session. Rome, where Ranieri was born and played for Roma later, has also managed Roma in two different spells before.
Ranieri was appointed as Roma's manager in September 2009 and concluded his first stint in February 2011. His second stint was from March to June 2019.
However, according to Gazzetta, Ranieri will leave the position at the end of this season and he will join AS Roma's technical board. But as of now, AS Roma will look to get back on track with their old guard back in the business.
In this article, we will explore some of the most remarkable transfer stories that have had a significant impact on the world of football and the transfer market.
The transfer window is one of the most important aspects of football. Before the start of the season and the battles on the pitch, various clubs tussle in the transfer market to sign multiple players.
Essentially, the blueprint for desired success starts from the transfer window, which involves numerous complex negotiations, agreements, and pre-agreements.
A lot of transfers occur regularly in the transfer market, but some remarkable stories are simultaneously amusing, shocking, and surprising. Here is an attempt to tell you some of those unique stories!
5. Didier Drogba to Chelsea
Image Courtesy | Talk Chelsea
In 2004, Jose Mourinho took the hot seat of the Chelsea coach. The Champions League-winning Coach for Porto, Mourinho was looking for a good striker for his new team. He spotted Didier Drogba who was a striker for French team Olympique de Marseille and was named 2003–04 French Ligue 1 player of the season. In an interview with Bein Sports, he revealed the story behind one of Chelsea's greatest signings.
The then-Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich and Jose Mourinho arranged a meeting in a restaurant concerning the team's speculations in the next summer transfer window. When Mourinho mentioned Drogba, Roman did not quite recognize him. Naturally, he wanted to know for whom he was going to pay the transfer fee.
Roman asked, "Who? Who do you want as a striker?... Who is he? Where is he playing?" and Mourinho answered, "Mr. Abramovich, pay. Pay and don't speak"
Drogba signed for Chelsea for 24 million pounds and Mourinho was not proved wrong. Playing until 2012, he scored 157 goals and etched his name as one of Chelsea's greatest strikers in the club's history. Drogba won the Premier League in his first season and won three more Premier Leagues, four League Cups, and one Champions League with Chelsea.
4. Malcom to Barcelona
Image Courtesy | Goal.com
In 2018, the Brazilian hot prospect Malcom from the French club Bordeaux completed all the necessary agreements for his transfer to the Italian club AS Roma. Bordeaux agreed to the transfer and even booked a flight to Italy for Malcom. Also, the Roma fans were eagerly waiting to greet their new signing at the airport in Rome.
But, the situation quickly changed whenFC Barcelona entered the transfer negotiations with Bordeaux during the final hours of the transfer market, which is famously known as the 'Eleventh Hour'. They offered a higher fee than Roma, and with Malcolm's insistence, Bordeaux agreed to the transfer to the Spanish club. Malcolm signed for Barcelona on a five-year deal for 41 million euros.
This was one of the craziest Transfer Hijacks that happened in the last minutes before the transfer window was closed. However, this transfer did not go as expected for Barcelona.
Malcom played just one season flaunting the Blaugrana shirt and he only scored 4 goals and provided 2 assists in 24 appearances. After that season, Barcelona sold Malcom to Zenit Saint Petersburg for 40 million euros.
The then-captain of AS Monaco, Emmanuel Petit was one of the most highly demanded players in the 1997 summer transfer window. Tottenham Hotspur, the North London club was the frontrunner in the race to sign this talented midfielder.
Petit arrived at a preliminary meeting with Alan Sugar who was the chairman of Tottenham Hotspur back then. Alan also showed him around the club's stadium. Spurs officials thought that the signing was just a matter of time.
While leaving the club, Petit also asked the club officials to book a taxi. The bosses arranged a taxi for him thinking that he might be going back to the airport. It is rumoured that they also paid the taxi fare of £20.
But Petit ended up at Highbury Stadium which was the then-home ground of Arsenal, the arch-rivals of Tottenham. Petit came to meet Arsenal chairman David Dean and coach Arsene Wenger. Wenger, who already knew Petit from his Monaco days, managed to convince him to sign for Arsenal and he signed for Arsenal that very afternoon.
Petit later joked about the Tottenham officials calling a taxi for him and said, “If they want to send me the bill I am happy to pay it.”
In 2015, Real Madrid and Manchester United penned down a swap deal agreement to swap their first-team goalkeepers. Real Madrid's goalkeeper Keylor Navas and Manchester United's keeper David deGea were involved in the transfer as they were about to sign for United and Madrid respectively.
Every piece of the puzzle was in the right place except a fax machine. This is one of the most popular conspiracy theories in football that Navas' documentation did not reach the club in Manchester in time on the deadline day of the transfer window and only a faulty fax machine was responsible for that!
As none of the documents could be submitted before the specified time, the registration of both players was also not completed. In England, transfer registration could be completed up to a certain time after the transfer window is closed but Spain had no such facility. That is why Real Madrid could not go further with the documentation and the transfer was called off.
Both clubs blamed and issued conflicting statements against each other following this mishap. Navas was very disappointed about the failed transfer and later said, "I cried when the transfer window was closed, near my wife... I’m human and everything exploded. I was waiting in the airport even without suitcases. I was not on the plane, but I was near."
1. Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain
Image Courtesy | Sky News
The Brazilian phenomenon Neymar was displaying his best performances during his Barcelona tenure since he signed for them in 2013. He played a key role in winning two La Liga titles and a Champions League for the Blaugranas. Many of Barca fans started dreaming about Neymar to be Lionel Messi's successor at Barcelona.
Since the start of the 2017 transfer window, Paris Saint-Germain made significant efforts to build a strong team. No one could believe that Neymar was indeed leaving Barcelona and signing for PSG until a rumor that first surfaced on July 18, 2017, came true. The Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona used to dominate the transfer market but this time, there was a drastic change that shook the entire footballing world.
Despite having signed a contract renewal with Barcelona in November 2016, Neymar's entourage informed PSG president Nasser Al Khelaifi via a phone call that Neymar was prepared to leave Barcelona in the 2017 summer transfer window. The PSG officials also reached a personal terms agreement with Neymar through some secret meetings.
After three weeks of prolonged negotiations with Barcelona officials, PSG paid Barcelona a transfer fee of 222 million euros to sign Neymar which holds the record of the most expensive transfer of all time to this date.
This signing was considered one of the most shocking signings that completely changed the concept of 'cash splash' in the transfer market. The transfer initiated a trend of paying excessive sums for players that altered the business in the transfer market forever.