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The goal-scoring striker is suffering from a muscle injury sustained during the Champions League quarter-final loss to Real Madrid
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From the brink of relegation to Europa League glory, Sevilla completes stunning turnaround
Sevilla, 11th in La Liga with one match to play, will play in the Champions League next season
Sevilla players celebrate with the trophy after winning the Europa League final. — AFP
Sevilla found its Europa League magic formula on Wednesday, beating Roma 4-1 on penalties in Budapest to make it a perfect seven out of seven in finals in the competition.
The game finished 1-1 following extra-time after Paulo Dybala's opener was earlier cancelled out by an own goal from Roma defender Gianluca Mancini.
A bad-tempered but gripping match went to a shootout at a raucous Puskas Arena, with Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine Bounou proving the hero with two saves.
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Gonzalo Montiel, who scored the winning penalty in the 2022 World Cup final, netted the decisive spot-kick after Mancini and Roger Ibanez had failed to convert for Roma.
The win is a remarkable achievement for 62-year-old Jose Luis Mendilibar, who only took over at Sevilla in March and is now celebrating his first major trophy.
"We are going to enjoy this because it has cost a lot and right now I don't know if I will renew or not and I don't care," said the Spaniard, who is not certain to be at the club next season.
The veteran coach was brought in to save the club from relegation and has led them to safety as well as European glory.
"When I arrived I told the players that they were very good but that they were not mentally in the right place and that was my job," he said.
"They have shown me in the end that they are very good."
Defeat spells heartbreak for Roma boss Jose Mourinho, who has lost a European final for the first time after five successes.
The fans created a crackling atmosphere before kick-off but the early stages of the game did not match the colour in the stands.
Sevilla, 11th in La Liga with one match to play, will play in the Champions League next season.
But Roma's campaign could end with a whimper after the highs of winning the inaugural Europa Conference League last year.
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