SEVILLA ARE EUROPA LEAGUE CHAMPIONS
FULL-TIME: INTER 2 SEVILLA 3
Conte and Inter come up short and Sevilla claim a record sixth Europa League title. An amazing final and the Spaniards come away deserved victors. What a game, what a final, and what a way for Lopetegui to claim the trophy. See you on Sunday for the Champions League final!
INTER 2 SEVILLA 3
Time running out for Inter. Lukaku looks for redemption but Sevilla hold strong.
INTER 2 SEVILLA 3
Sub Alexis Sanchez so close to levelling for Inter but it is cleared off the line.
GOAL! INTER 2 SEVILLA 3
Unbelievable! Lukaku has put it in his own net. Diego Carlos is being given the credit after a brilliant overhead kick, but it comes off the boot of the Belgian at the backpost and into the net. Heartache (heartbreak) for Inter? They have 12 mins remaining...
INTER 2 SEVILLA 2
Lukaku breaks and has only the keeper to beat! But he hits it straight at the brilliantly named Bono, who denies the Belgian. Inter still haven't found what they're looking for... (sorry)
INTER 2 SEVILLA 2
We approach substitution time as Lucas Ocampos wastes a good chance by firing into the side-netting from an impossible angle. Silly really from the Sevilla man.
INTER 2 SEVILLA 2
Luuk De Jong will be top of the silly-season transfer window shopping lists tomorrow. Another lovely bit of skills flummoxes the Inter defenders but no cigar this time.
INTER 2 SEVILLA 2
Inter are almost in but Gagliardini takes a moment too long as the ball breaks to him on the edge of the area and the chance is gone.
INTER 2 SEVILLA 2
No changes from either side as we have a more tentative start to the opening exchanges in the second 45.
KICK-OFF! INTER 2 SEVILLA 2
Here we go again!
HALF-TIME: INTER 2 SEVILLA 2
What a half... Now time to ice bath the fingers for 10 mins.
INTER 2 SEVILLA 2
Inter looks to be on Easy Street with an early gift of a penalty, but Sevilla came roaring back. Then Inter bounced off the ropes to level in double-quick time...
INTER 2 SEVILLA 2
I don't want the fun to stop but I think we need the half-time whistle to gather our thoughts. 5 mins to go. Anything can happen.
INTER 2 SEVILLA 2
I said the neutrals were in for a treat, and this one (me), at least, has not been disappointed. Belter of a match!
GOAL! INTER 2 SEVILLA 2
A work of art from Godin as he rises highest to head home. Shell-shocked? Who said that?
GOAL! INTER 1 SEVILLA 2
De Jong strikes again. Looping a header in from a harmless-looking free-kick. Inter are shell-shocked.
INTER 1 SEVILLA 1
Almost, just almost, a lull in proceedings as the midfielders get involved in the tussles, giving both sets of defenders and strikers a breather.
INTER 1 SEVILLA 1
Antonio Conte is in the book for mouthing off to the fourth official for that penalty. Still frenetic stuff as Inter are flagged offside at one end and then Sevilla's Lucas Ocampos hit the side-netting at the other.
INTER 1 SEVILLA 1
Whirlwind start in Cologne continues as Inter think they have a penalty for handball. Nothing doing though.
GOAL! INTER 1 SEVILLA 1
Brilliant diving header by Luuk De Jong after an equally brilliant cross squares things up. Weak hands from the keeper.
GOAL! INTER 1 SEVILLA 0
Penalty! Inter Milan get the advantage in the opening minutes and Lukaku does the biz. The big Belgian wasbundled over by Diego Carlos after a counter attack. Carlos lucky to stay on the pitch as he looked very much the last man...
INTER v SEVILLA
KICK-OFF
Under way in Cologne. Will the famous old trophy be heading to Italy or Spain?
INTER V SEVILLA
The time for debate is over, now to focus on the action on the pitch...
Of course, no fans in the RheinEnergieStadion due to coronavirus, but those handymen in charge of the speakers will generate an atmosphere for us, won't they?
INTER v SEVILLA
20 minutes to go until kick-off in Cologne. Inter are the heavy favourites, with Martinez and Lukaku forming a brilliant partnership up front for the Italians, who finished one point behind Juventus in Serie A. But Sevilla showed great tenacity against Manchester United, soaking up pressure, taking the luck and grinding out the win that has made them synonymous with this competition.
Inter parachuted into the Europa League after crashing out of the Champions League in the group stages. Conte sees it as a blessing in disguise for his youthful team: "It has allowed us to have a much more successful journey in the Europa League than we would have had in the Champions League. I think this team - with a lot of young, inexperienced players - needed that."
It looks like the 'neutral' fan in Dubai would like to see Sevilla make it six Europa League titles.
"Much of the chatter has been about Bayern v PSG, but the fans are certainly out to cheer on Inter and Sevilla tonight," says Craig Leader, manager at Crown & Lion, Byblos Barsha Heights. "We know there are a lot of Inter fans in Dubai, who are raving about Lukaku and Martinez up front. But almost everyone else I have spoken to wants Sevilla to win."
Lopetegui knows his side are in for a tough match. “Inter has a very characteristic way of playing, all Conte teams have it,” he told Sevilla’s official website. “It is not easy for such high level players to play in such a peculiar collective way. The squad is full of players with a talent, they will oblige us to play an extraordinary game."
Read more on that here.
So hero against United Luuk de Jong starts up front for Sevilla in place of Youssef En-Nesyri. Inter Milan look like a Manchester United rejuvenation bin with Romelu Lukaku and Ashley Young the preferred option up front and Alexis Sanchez on the bench.
INTER v SEVILLA
TEAM NEWS
Sevilla: Bono, Navas, Kounde, Carlos, Reguilon, Fernando, Jordan, Banega, Ocampos, Suso, De Jong.
Inter Milan: Handanovic, Godin, De Vrij, Bastoni, D'Ambrosio, Barella, Brozovic, Gagliardini, Young, Lukaku, Martinez.
This is a chalk and cheese match-up between the managers as Antonio Conte has been picking up trophies for fun at Juventus and then Chelsea before moving to Inter. In the opposite dug-out is Julen Lopetegui, who is chasing a duck-breaking piece of silverware. He does have the Europa League specialists Sevilla to help him, mind...
It seems like only a few days ago (it was) that Sevilla's gritty display saw them overcome Manchester United 2-1 set up a tilt at their sixth Europa League triumph. But standing in their way is Inter Milan, who humbled Shakhtar Donetsk in their semi-final.
Hello and welcome to the big one before the big one as we warm up for Sunday's Champions League final between PSG and Bayern with the Europa League showdown in Cologne between Inter Milan and Sevilla.
