History could be made on Wednesday in Warsaw, as Sevilla will look to become the first club to win four UEFA Europa League/UEFA Cup titles.
However, the reigning champions should be weary of this season’s surprise package and their potential to pull an upset and play spoilers. Don’t be fooled by Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk’s mediocre group stage performance—seven points in six matches—as the Ukrainian outfit saved their best for when it mattered most. Emphatic knockout round victories over Olympiacos, Ajax, Club Brugge and most recently Napoli is proof that this team based in Ukraine’s fourth largest city shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Sevilla are no doubt the favourites, having won the most matches in the competition this season (10 out of 14), but anything can happen in a one-off contest.
Here’s how the two teams match up ahead of Wednesday’s Europa League final.
Wednesday programming alert: Watch Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk vs. Sevilla on Sportsnet ONE and Sportsnet World at 2:30 pm ET/11:30 am PT. || Sportsnet World NOW || Broadcast schedule
Goalkeeper
Sevilla’s six clean sheets from 14 isn’t quite impressive overall, though the most recent two against Fiorentina in the semis—winning 5-0 on aggregate—is a testament to the team’s experience in pressure situations. Sergio Rico has deputized between the posts almost exclusively in the knockout rounds after Beto suffered a shoulder injury in early February.
Dnipro have secured five clean sheets from their eight matches following the group stage, having only blanked the opposition four times in their previous 10. Denis Boyko has started every match, and the 27 year-old Ukrainian is in exquisite form and key to his team’s success.
Edge: Dnipro
Defence
When you have the player with the most appearances in the competition’s history to call upon—47 by Daniel Carrico—it’s the very definition of the foundation that is critical for any great defensive line. Carrico has been a mainstay for los rojiblancos with 13 starts in the Europa League. Benoit Tremoulinas is another integral component to the backbone of this defensive unit.
Dnipro deploy a far more physical style, defending by committee and taking no prisoners. Four of the five most-booked players in the Europa League are from Dnipro—Artem Fedetskiy (seven), Ruslan Rotan (six), Jaba Kankava (six) and Roman Zozulya (five).
Edge: Sevilla
Midfield
The scale tips considerably in Sevilla’s favour, and it’s not even close. Stephane M’Bia and Jose Antonio Reyes provide the experience and leadership, while Ever Banega, Vitolo, Aleix Vidal and Denis Suarez make up the incredible depth in this squad. When you compare with the options in the opposing dugout—Ruslan Rotan, Jaba Kankava and Yevhen Shakhov—it’s obvious where the pendulum power leans.
Edge: Sevilla
Forwards
Sevilla has scored 26 goals in the competition—tied with Napoli for the most this season—compared with Dnipro’s 13. Carlos Bacca leads the team with five goals, followed by Kevin Gamiero (4) and Vincent Ibara (2). Los rojiblancos’ attacking trident is just two goals shy of matching Dnipro’s entire offensive output in the Europa League, with Nikola Kalinic, Yevhen Seleznyov and Yevhen Konoplyanka chipping in six goals combined.
Edge: Sevilla
Intangibles
Luck can only take you so far, and the reality of the situation is that Dnipro haven’t been all that dominating. It’s an incredible feat for a club of its size to participate in a European final—a great accomplishment for Ukrainian football given the country’s current political strife—Shakhtar Donetsk won the Europa League in 2009.
Sevilla on the other hand are battle tested and lead by the most significant intangible off the pitch, Unai Emery. The 43 year-old manager is on the brink of matching the success of Juande Ramos’ Rojiblancos side of 2006 and 2007.
Edge: Sevilla