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Extended Clip - Europa League Final Preview - Sevilla vs AS Roma: Can Mourinho Write History With The Giallorossi?
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Ahead of the Europa League Final between Sevilla and Roma, Nima Tavallaey and Carlo Garganese preview the match analyzing and discussing the match from all angles.
This is an extended clip from this weeks free Monday episode of The Italian Football Podcast which is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Google podcasts.
To listen to ALL complete episodes of The Italian Football Podcast, go to Patreon.com/TIFP and become a Patron for only $2.99 USD per month (excluding VAT).
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Transcript
Podcast Introduction: UEFA Europa League Focus
00:00:02
Speaker
Welcome to the Italian football podcast. Talking about UEFA, the UEFA conference. No, not the conference. Europa League. Europa League, yeah. On Wednesday. So it's Roma versus Sevilla.
Roma vs Fiorentina: Backup Squads or True Defeat?
00:00:16
Speaker
First of all, there's not much to say about Roma's defeat to Fiorentina. Both teams played their backup 11s. So we're not even, no point even discussing that.
Europa League Final: Sevilla vs Roma - Who's Favored?
00:00:26
Speaker
But let's do a little preview of the final itself. And
00:00:34
Speaker
Sevilla, I understand, are favourites going into this. For me, it's another 50-50. How
Sevilla's Europa League Success: Can It Continue?
00:00:40
Speaker
do you see this today? I think it's fair to say that Sevilla are slight favourites. Slight favourites. Not by much, but slight favourites. I think that's fair given.
00:00:52
Speaker
Once again, they're having a crap season, but they're in the final of the Europa League again. It's the Sevilla League. They just keep delivering in this tournament time and time again. It's like when all else fails, they're 11th in La Liga. They've had a dreadful season, and yet they're in another European final.
00:01:16
Speaker
It's truly remarkable. But having said that, look, I think they're slight favorites, but I don't think by much. I
Mourinho's European Final Strategy: Unbeatable?
00:01:30
Speaker
really don't think by much. I think Mourinho is preparing for this and has been preparing for this for a long time, and he's going to have that team completely
00:01:42
Speaker
completely. He will have read everything Sevilla want to do and will have a plan on how to hurt them. And it's Mourinho in European finals, he's yet to lose one. And if you look at how he behaves in European finals, you see how incredibly prepared he is tactically, his risk minimization, all that stuff.
00:02:05
Speaker
you know, he reads the other side better than the coach of the other side knows his own side almost in finals.
Roma's Defensive Strategy: Flawless or Flawed?
00:02:15
Speaker
And so Roma need to be switched on, they need to be perfect, they need to defensively be absolutely switched on and perfect and not make any mistakes, you know,
00:02:27
Speaker
Ibanez has to not Ibanez in this game. Manchin needs to continue being hard, but not go over the line and get himself sent off. Hopefully Chris Smalling can play the full 90 minutes, because I think that's key. And
Fitness Concerns: Impact of Key Players' Injuries?
00:02:47
Speaker
then of course Paolo Di Bala. Paolo Di Bala.
00:02:52
Speaker
Yeah, I'm worried about Di Bala. I mean, there has been some news coming out that he's doing better. He is training himself. I mean, it's obviously clear he's not going to be able to start the game. We're probably looking at a short appearance off the bench, maybe.
00:03:13
Speaker
Yeah, I think maybe he might get 20 minutes maybe off the bench, hopefully. Spin it so I don't think it's going to be fit either. Maybe he might get some time off the bench as well.
Roma's European Experience: A Winning Edge?
00:03:31
Speaker
So Roma have lost two
00:03:33
Speaker
key players in those two. There's no doubt about it. Two experienced players who have been in big finals and match-winning players. So that's important. But I mean, I think Roma do have the experience. I mean, obviously, Mourinho, we know his record in finals. He's won every single final. I think he is the card, he is the key card for Roma. Also, from a psychological point of view, when the opponents see they're playing against Mourinho in a final, that does
00:04:01
Speaker
Even unconsciously, that does have a role to play. Also, Roma's European experience, they won the conference league last year. I actually saw a stat the other day that only Madrid have played more semi-finals in Europe in the last five years. They've even had a semi-final. People forget under Fonseca. Yeah, under Fonseca, yeah.
00:04:21
Speaker
And then obviously they had the Champions League semi-finals. So we're talking about what, four semi-finals? That's
Mourinho's Trophy Hunt: Will History Repeat?
00:04:29
Speaker
really impressive. That's incredible considering how they've done in Serie A. No, it is really impressive. And the fact that Mourinho's come in there and brought them to the final and won one of them, and now has the chance to win the second one.
00:04:43
Speaker
Yeah, truly remarkable. So they won't they won't freeze in this game, right? They will, you know, they'll be able to handle themselves. Then it will come down to, you know, who plays better, who has the quality.
Roma's Crucial Players: Pellegrini and Bovet's Roles
00:04:55
Speaker
You know, I want to see Pellegrini really turn up for this game. I want to see the bar. I mean, even if the bar doesn't start, I do think you will have some form. You will have some kind of I think you will play some part in this game.
00:05:11
Speaker
I don't think you'll start, but I think, you know, I want to see Pellegrini really take on this game and show that he's a leader. I hope that the back line is all fit. I hope Rui Patricio doesn't screw up.
00:05:26
Speaker
And I would love to see Bovet as well start, because I think he's been kind of like their mascot in this tournament a little bit. And he's a Roman guy,
00:05:43
Speaker
He's a Roma kid through and through, so it would be cool to see how he does. But I think for me, the key here is Pellegrini. I want him to work and I want him to start leading Roma. Because
Sevilla's Vulnerabilities: Can Roma Capitalize?
00:05:56
Speaker
if he were to win the Europa League, what is it? Two European trophies that he will have captained Roma to? That's incredible.
00:06:05
Speaker
Yeah, I think listen, I think I don't think I've said before, I don't think severe or, or a good team, but I do think they obviously they won this, they've got the experience, they won this trophy so many times, they've got some big players, experienced players, you know, Rakitic, for example, obviously he's passed his best, but still
00:06:22
Speaker
You know, he's got so much experience and Nesri I do think is a very dangerous player and our campus has been in fantastic form as well. So, I mean, you know, they've got dangerous players, but then I think their defense, you know, you can definitely get at that defense, which is why it's a big shame that DiBala
00:06:40
Speaker
is not fixed. I think if DiBala was fit and playing, the same with spin at solo as well. I mean, I think they could cause lots of trouble to that severe defense. So that is a shame, but hopefully off the bench they can do some damage. But
Implications of Roma's Win: Serie A's Champions League Prospects
00:06:53
Speaker
yeah, good luck to Roma. Let's hope that they can do it.
00:06:56
Speaker
I really want them to do it. It would be so cool because it means because all four teams in the Serie A for the Champions League next season have been decided and Roma not being one of them, this means we will have five teams in the Champions League next season for the first time ever. I can't remember the Serie A for having five teams.
00:07:13
Speaker
No, no, I haven't had five teams. So that would be amazing for the Serie A. Like how awesome would that not be? And you mean you'd have Napoli and Roma in pot one as winners of the Serie A and the Europa League. If Inter were to win the Champions League, then Inter would be in pot one too. Three teams in pot one. How awesome would that not be for the draw? Yeah, absolutely.