Lopetegui revels in Sevilla's sixth triumph

COLOGNE • Sevilla coach Julen Lopetegui enjoyed sweet redemption, after his side beat Inter Milan 3-2 in a thrilling Europa League final on Friday to hand the Spaniard a first major trophy.

The former Spain coach helped his country qualify for the 2018 World Cup in style, but his stay in Russia ended in surreal circumstances when he was sacked a day before the tournament kicked off after news leaked out that he had negotiated a move to Real Madrid.

He then had a nightmare stay in the Spanish capital, and was fired only three months into the job.

Lopetegui had been reduced to tears by those abrupt departures. But, in Cologne, he shed tears of joy after Sevilla came from behind.

"You have to know how to cope with difficult moments and overcome them. This is a feeling of immense happiness," the 53-year-old said. "I'm so grateful to our players for how hard they worked. Our anthem says we never give up and tonight we proved that again."

His redemption was only part of the story. Homegrown captain Jesus Navas, who delivered the cross for Luuk de Jong's equaliser after Inter's Romelu Lukaku opened the scoring from the spot, lifted the trophy for a third time following key roles in Sevilla's first two Uefa Cup triumphs in 2006 and 2007.

He was with England's Manchester City during the Spanish team's three other wins.

"Lopetegui works 24 hours a day, he has given everything for us and he has got the best out of us. He deserves everything," said Navas, who dedicated the win to former Sevilla players Jose Antonio Reyes, killed in a car crash last year, and Antonio Puerta, who died of a heart attack on the pitch aged 22 in 2007.

Argentinian midfielder Ever Banega, who had a disappointing season with Inter in 2016-17, also got an assist and won the trophy for the third time in his final match for the club before he joins Saudi Arabia's Al-Shabab. His floated free kick was headed on by de Jong three minutes before Diego Godin levelled matters for Inter.

An overhead kick by defender Diego Carlos deflected into his own net by Lukaku - whose opener set the longest scoring run of 11 consecutive games in the Europa League - settled the contest.

That Carlos and de Jong were among nine starters - including Jules Kounde, Lucas Ocampos, Joan Jordan, Fernando, Sergio Reguilon, Suso and Yassine Bono - who arrived in Sevilla last summer was also a credit to club director of football Monchi.

The former goalkeeper left for Roma in 2017 after helping the La Liga side to 11 trophies in 17 years in his backroom role. But he returned last year to lead another rebuild.

Now, it is the future of Inter manager Antonio Conte in question after the Italian cast fresh doubt over his position.

"We will try to plan the future of Inter with or without me," said the 51-year-old, who also led the club to second in Serie A, one point behind Juventus.

"It has been a very tough season from all points of view, the best decision must be taken for the good of Inter, with the utmost cordiality. There is no resentment, there are different points of view."

REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE