Sevilla v Espanyol UEFA Cup Final
Spanish Rivals Meet at Hampden Park,Glasgow:Sevilla to Retain Trophy
The UEFA Cup Final in Glasgow sees Spanish rivals, Sevilla and Espanyol meet at Hampden Park, Glasgow with Sevilla aiming to retain the trophy for the second season.
The UEFA Cup Final at Hampden Park, Glasgow is an all Spanish affair with the Cup holders, Sevilla, meeting Espanyol. Sevilla are endeavouring to become only the second club to retain the UEFA Cup, following in the footsteps of Real Madrid in 1985 and 1986. So determined are Sevilla to retain the trophy that before important UEFA Cup games they have rested star players from League games, sacrificing points in their challenge for the Primera Liga title.
Espanyol have unhappy memories of their only previous European final. In the UEFA Cup Final of 1987-88, a two legged affair, Espanyol had a 3-0 first leg lead over Bayer Leverkusen but lost the away leg by the same score and then lost 3-2 on penalties. The present Espanyol coach, Ernesto Valverde, was a member of the team in the first game against Leverkusen and so is waiting for an opportunity to rectify the wrong bestowed on his team all those years ago.
The two teams have met in the Spanish League earlier in the season. Espanyol won the first game 2-1, coming from behind when Fredi Kanoute scored a penalty for Sevilla. In the more recent game at the end of last month, Sevilla won 3-1.
Last weekend’s games saw Sevilla maintain their pursuit for the Spanish title with a 2-1 win over Recreativo Huelva. They are two points behind Barcelona and Real Madrid who are level on points. Espanyol are currently twelfth in the league, having lost to Real Madrid on Saturday. They had held a 3-1 half-time lead after Walter Pandiani scored a hat-trick but succumbed to defeat in a seven goal thriller when Real scored a ninetieth minute winner.
Sevilla progressed to the Final by finishing second in their group before winning both games against Steaua Bucuresti. Sevilla nearly went out of the tournament in the round of the last 16 when they found themselves a goal down on aggregate to FC Shakhtar in added time in the second leg. It took an equaliser from goalkeeper Andres Palop to rescue them before Chevanton scored an extra time winner. A home quarter final win and two early goals in a 2-2 draw in the return against Tottenham Hotspur settled the quarter final game. They lost to Spanish opponents in the semi-final first leg, Osasuna winning 1-0, but won the home game by two goals.
Espanyol were undefeated in their group stage and are the highest scorers in the competition, having scored 32 goals while conceding only nine. They are undefeated in fourteen games in the competition and won both legs of the semi-final against Werder Bremen. They defeated Benfica in the quarter finals and Maccabi Haifa in the previous round. Their draw in Israel ended their run of seven successive victories.
Sevilla must be favourites to win the final in Glasgow and retain the trophy. They are challenging in three competitions, Spanish Cup, League and the UEFA Cup but will have to be wary of Espanyol goal scoring power.
