Wednesday 18 May 2016 19:47, UK
Sevilla are aiming for a record-breaking third-straight Europa League triumph when they face Liverpool on Wednesday. But how do Unai Emery's side keep on succeeding in the competition?
In total, 191 teams entered this year's Europa League but yet again Sevilla are there at the end, on course to lift the trophy for a fifth time in 10 years.
Here, with the help of Sky Sports' Spanish football expert Guillem Balague, we take a look at the key factors behind their repeated success in the Europa League…
The Manager
A third consecutive Europa League win for Sevilla on Wednesday would also be a third in a row for their coach Unai Emery - an unprecedented achievement in football.
The Spaniard joined Sevilla in January 2013 after his successful four-year stint with Valencia was followed by a short, disappointing spell with Spartak Moscow. Emery led the club to Europa League glory just months later with a penalty shoot-out win over Benfica after seeing off his old Valencia side in the semi-finals.
Despite losing Alberto Moreno to Liverpool, Federico Fazio to Tottenham and Ivan Rakitic to Barcelona that summer, Emery adapted his squad, got the best out of top scorer Carlos Bacca and delivered another Europa League triumph, this time with a comeback win in the final against Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk.
Once again, Emery lost key men in the transfer window, with Bacca joining AC Milan and Aleix Vidal heading to Barcelona, but, once again, found a way to the final of the Europa League, after failing to qualify from a Champions League group including Manchester City and Juventus.
Just four starters from the 2014 Europa League final were in Sevilla's squad for the second leg of the semi-final win over Shakhtar earlier this month, an example of the player turnover Emery has had to deal with - but also his ability to repeatedly re-shape his side.
Renowned for his meticulous planning and analysis of his opponents, Emery continues to get the very best from his Sevilla squad.
"Emery is a specialist in maximising the potential," says Balague.
"It doesn't matter that every season with Sevilla he loses 10 or 12 players. Their three finals in a row are a sign of coaching, a sign of focus, a sign of competitiveness and a sign of a very good side."
Key performers
Kevin Gameiro is a standout star from this Sevilla team, with his seven goals in eight games in the Europa League this season - including two decisive strikes in the second leg of the semi-final win over Shakhtar.
The Frenchman - surprisingly left out of his country's Euro 2016 squad - has taken up the mantle of the departed Bacca and Emery has also been able to call on talents such as Rakitic, Vidal and Ever Banega over this period of success. But the current team is founded on work-rate and key contributions from across the park.
As Balague explains, Emery has at times even left out big names to help less-heralded players shine.
"They have realised quite early on that some of the big signings bought for the Champions League like Fernando Llorente, Yevhen Konoplyanka and Adil Rami weren't performing at their best, some because of injuries and some because of adaptation," he said.
"Instead, what Emery has been given is the chance to choose those who are performing better. It has not mattered what the name of the player was.
"You've had the likes of Vitolo, who had given them the edge in terms of pace and work-rate without the ball. Kevin Gameiro is having the best goalscoring moment of his career and Grzegorz Krychowiak works so hard for the team in the midfield, even though he's missed a few weeks during the season with injury.
"Even the likes of Vicente Iborra - nobody knew if he was a good midfielder or a good forward - has found his role and can fulfill his potential as a strange No 10.
"He's very tall and almost plays like a second forward, an English-style forward who you can throw the ball to and he will hold it up, allowing others to come into the play.
"It's a team with no superstars but a team where everyone works for everybody. Everyone has been at their best and that's what generally takes you to finals."
It's a team with no superstars but a team where everyone works for everybody.
Squad rotation
"We could stop scouting two weeks ago because they changed the team completely," Klopp told Liverpool's official website this week.
As well as the Europa League final, Sevilla also face Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final on Sunday and Emery has altered his squad selection in the final weeks of La Liga to ensure his squad are fresh for the two title tilts.
In fact, the drop-off in performance in La Liga has been remarkable. Sevilla lost seven of their final nine league games after only losing the same number in their previous 29.
Clearly the focus is on the cups, but Balague says Emery has managed squad rotation well throughout the past three seasons to get the most out of his men across different competitions.
"I know it may seem like some players and some teams don't fancy the Europa League, but look at the way Borussia Dortmund, Tottenham, Liverpool, Sevilla and Villarreal have tackled the competition this season if you had any doubt. These teams just want to compete," he said.
"Have Sevilla taken it more seriously than the others? No, it's not that. It's just that they have rotated more cleverly because they have a squad that has felt important throughout the season."
Standard of opposition
You only have to look at Sevilla's celebrations after the past two Europa League finals to see how important this competition is to the players and supporters - but the fact it is Europe's second competition cannot be avoided.
While three of this season's Europa League semi-finalists will be playing in the Champions League in 2016/17, even Emery admits the standard of his team's opponents in this competition present Sevilla with an opportunity.
"The Champions League is nice, and we want to play in it," he said. "But you meet the very top teams in that competition and they overcome you. When you are in the Europa League, you know you can win it."
Similarly, Balague believes the level of the Europa League is one which suits Sevilla.
"Obviously, there is an emotional attachment to this competition for Sevilla," he said. "But it fits Sevilla down to the ground because it is probably their level. The Champions League is probably just a bit too much for them to be part of it regularly."
Liverpool's challenge will be to overcome a team which has mastered the competition.
