UEFA Europa League 2022-23: AS Roma’s route to the final

The Special one, Mourinho takes the Giallorossi to Budapest, the first time they have reached successive major European finals.

UEFA Europa Conference League winners AS Roma will be up against six-time UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League winners Sevilla in the final in Budapest. The sides' only previous meeting in UEFA competition was in the 2019-20 Europa League round of 16 when Sevilla prevailed 2-0 in a one-off game played on neutral territory in Duisburg. The most successful side in the history of the competition, Sevilla have the opportunity to win the trophy for a seventh time at the end of what has been a trying season. AS Roma have had a less fraught campaign domestically but have once more been enjoying their Thursday nights.

Having guided his side to the inaugural UEFA Europa Conference League title last season, José Mourinho is now angling to be the first coach to win this competition with three different sides, having done so with both Porto (2002-03) and United (2016-17). Mourinho has won all five of his previous five European finals, including last season's Europa Conference League with AS Roma. "My concern isn't marking my place in the Roma history books," Mourinho told Sky Sports. "It's helping these kids [players] to grow and achieve important things. "It's also helping the Roma fans who have given me so much since day one. It's an immense joy to get to another final."

Roma's performance in the knockout stages

Group C: Runners-up

Roma had a tricky group and they finished second with three wins, a draw and a couple of losses. The Giallorossi had compiled 10 points, only behind toppers Real Betis. They were clubbed in Group C with Real Betis, Ludogorets and HJK Helsinki.

Results: Ludogorets 2-1 Roma, Roma 3-0 Helsinki, Roma 1-2 Betis, Betis 1-1 Roma, Helsinki 1-2 Roma, Roma 3-1 Ludogorets.

Knock–out Playoff:  2-1 agg vs Salzburg

Roma started with a 1-0 defeat against RB Leipzig but they bounced back by winning 2-0. They had just one shot inside the box after half-time, but Belotti and Dybala had already done the damage to Salzburg by then. You might call the second half a defensive masterclass from the hosts, or slightly boring. Either way, you can't deny it was effective. Mourinho's men got the job done in the first half, scoring twice to overturn the Austrians' first-leg lead. Salzburg improved in the second half, but the hosts were in no mood to let them come close to scoring.

Round of 16: 2-0 agg vs Real Sociedad

The Giallorossi defeated Real Sociedad 2-0 in the first leg and played out a 0-0 draw. Real Sociedad did well to get past Roma's defence and had a handful of chances in the second half to get themselves back in the tie, but they just could not get the ball in the back of the net. Oyarzabal had the best opportunity to put his side 1-0 up, but only managed to hit the crossbar. Roma weren't at their best, but they happily defended deep after doing all the work in the first leg.

Quarter Finals: 4-2 agg aet vs Feyenoord

In the quarterfinals, they lost to Feyenoord 1-0 before blanking them 4-1 in the second leg. Though it took a late equalizer and further goals in extra time, Roma make it through to the Europa League semi-finals at Feyenoord's expense thanks to a win inspired by substitute Paulo Dybala. Just back from injury, the mercurial forward stepped off the bench to unlock the visitors' determined defense and send the time into an additional 30 minutes, and victory was finally sealed by captain Lorenzo Pellegrini, who missed a penalty in the previous fixture.

Semi – Finals: 1-0 agg vs Leverkusen

Jose Mourinho's Roma reached the Europa League final by holding Bayer Leverkusen to a goalless draw in the second leg of their semi-final tie. Edoardo Bove's goal gave the Italian side a 1-0 win in the first leg, and that was enough to take them through. Moussa Diaby struck the crossbar for Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen side in the first half of the second leg, but they could not find a breakthrough.

The key performers:

Lorenzo Pelligrini and Paulo Dybala have netted four goals each for the Giallorossi in the 2022-23 Europa League. Andrea Belotti slammed home three goals. Pelligrini has also mustered four assists, the joint highest in this campaign. Notably, Rui Patricio has compiled four clean sheets (joint-highest).

Last season: Europa Conference League winners (W 1-0 vs Feyenoord)

Best UEFA Cup/Europa League performance: Runners-up (1990/91)

Roma won the Europa Conference League last season and they are back in the Europa League finals this season. As per Opta, the Giallorossi have made it to the European finals only twice before last season. Roma can look forward to a second European final in as many years having not reached one for 31 years prior to last season. They made it to the finals in the 1983-84 European Cup and the 1990-91 UEFA Cup.

2023 Europa League final - Puskás Aréna, Hungary

The 2022-23 UEFA Europa League season will conclude with Sevilla taking on Roma at Budapest's Puskás Aréna on 31 May 2023. Kick-off is at 21:00 CET. Officially opened in 2019, the 65,000+ capacity ground stands on the site of the old Hungarian national team stadium, which was also named in honour of former Honvéd and Real Madrid forward Ferenc Puskás. The venue is located in the Zugló district of the Hungarian capital. This is the second UEFA final to be staged at the new arena, which previously hosted the 2020 UEFA Super Cup, where Bayern beat Sevilla 2-1 in the traditional season curtain-raiser.