UEFA Europa League 2022-23: Sevilla vs AS Roma Combined XI

European redemption is at stake as Mourinho's Roma clashes with Sevilla's trophy-laden history in Budapest

José Mourinho finds himself back in the European spotlight as his Roma side prepares to face off against Sevilla in the Europa League final in Budapest. This marks the second consecutive season that Mourinho and Roma have reached a European final, following their triumph in the inaugural Europa Conference League last year.

Mourinho's achievement of winning all three of the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League makes him the first manager to accomplish such a feat. On the other hand, Sevilla, who have won the Europa League an astonishing four times in the past nine seasons, have a chance to add another title to their collection. Regardless of the outcome, Wednesday's final will serve as another significant milestone for either Sevilla or the masterful Mourinho.

Roma had a lacklustre Serie A campaign this season, failing to secure a spot in the Champions League for the fourth consecutive year. Staying true to Mourinho's style, Roma's defence proved resilient, conceding only 37 goals in 37 league games. Leading the scoring charge for Roma is Paulo Dybala, with 11 Serie A goals.

Similarly, Sevilla endured a disappointing domestic campaign, currently sitting in 11th place in La Liga with one match remaining (with the potential to climb as high as 7th on the final day). Throughout the season, three different managers have led Sevilla, with Julen Lopetegui's tenure ending in early October and Jorge Sampaoli being dismissed in March. In an uncharacteristic fashion, Sevilla struggled both defensively, conceding 52 goals, and offensively, scoring only 46 goals. These challenges have made it a challenging season for Sevilla, mirroring the difficulties faced by Roma.

Both teams enter the final seeking redemption and the opportunity to salvage their respective seasons. For Roma, victory would offer a return to the Champions League after a lengthy absence, while Sevilla aims to add another Europa League triumph to their impressive collection. The clash between Mourinho's tactical prowess and Sevilla's rich European history promises an enthralling battle in Budapest, where the fate of two proud clubs will be decided on the grandest stage of European football.

We will now try to field a combined XI of Sevilla vs Roma to showcase what is possible if, in a parallel world, both sides decide to merge.

Formation: 4-3-3

Goalkeeper: Rui Patrício (Roma)

The choice of picking our number 1 was a tough one. Sevilla's Yassine Bounou and Roma's Rui Patricio have both made stellar saves in the UEFA Europa League competition. But we have gone ahead with the Euro 2016 winner with Portugal's national football team.

Patrício has made 14 appearances while only conceding a total of eight goals. The 35-year-old has kept seven clean sheets in the competition. This is the highest count in the Europa League.

Left-back: Leonardo Spinazzola (Roma)

Leonardo Spinazzola is the top pick for the left-back position. Sevilla's Marcos Acuna is suspended after receiving a red card against Juventus.

The 30-year-old has missed a few matches due to injuries but will return to the squad. Spinazzola has made 13 appearances in the Europa League. He has a goal and an assist to his name.

Centre-back: Nemanja Gudelj (Sevilla)

The Serbian can perform in multiple positions. One of them is a centre-midfielder, and the other is a centre-back. For José Luis Mendilibar, Gudelj has been employed as a centre-back on almost every occasion.

Gudelj has played seven games in the competition and has scored a goal. Against Juventus, he made nine clearances and two crucial interceptions in both legs. Nemanja Gudelj's ability to keep the ball also helps Sevilla build attacks from the back.

Centre-back: Gianluca Mancini (Roma)

If we are building a defence line and an Italian doesn't feature, it hardly happens, right? Gianluca Mancini from AS Roma will pair up with the other three players from Sevilla to form a back four. Jose Mourinho has used him regularly. In the Europa League, the Italian has featured 14 times. While in Serie A, he was handed 34 game opportunities. 

Right-back: Jesús Navas (Sevilla)

After a four-year spell at Premier League's Manchester City, Navas decided to head back to where he began his career. The 37-year-old serves as captain for the Spanish side and still features regularly regardless of his age. He has played eight times in the Europa League and has an assist to his name.

Central-midfield: Edoardo Bove (Roma)

Born on May 16, 2002, Edoardo Bove recently turned 21. Jose Mourinho has handed quite a lot of responsibilities to the young lads shoulders. The star from Roma managed to score once while also managing to register 10 appearances in the Europa League. He is playing regularly for Roma these days.

Centre defensive-midfield: Ivan Rakitić (Sevilla)

Former FC Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakiti will play more of a deep-lying role. The Croatian wizard made eight Europa League appearances and registered two assists in total. The 35-year-old boasts a net tally of six assists and two goals in 50 total outings for Los Rojiblancos. Rakitic has played in finals before and will be a key figure in the midfield.

Central-midfield: Lorenzo Pellegrini (Roma)

Roma's captain has been a standout in Rome's quest to bring the Europa League trophy home. In 14 Europa League games, Pellegrini scored four times and assisted with four assists. He leads from the front and is also their penalty taker. A huge responsibility lies on his shoulders in the final match.

Left-wing: Érik Lamela (Sevilla)

The FIFA 2021 Puskas Award winner had to feature in this combined XI. The 31-year-old's header in the 95th minute of extra time against Juventus is the reason Sevilla are in the finals. His header helped Sevilla finish the semi-finals 3-2 on aggregate against the Italian giants. In seven Europa League outings, Lamela found the back of the net twice and his teammates another two times.

Striker: Tammy Abraham (Roma)

With too many strikers to choose from, Chelsea finally offloaded Tammy Abraham to AS Roma. After joining the Giallorossi in August 2021 on a permanent transfer, the Englishman has done pretty well. He has made 14 appearances and scored once. The 25-year-old has also made two assists. Tammy Abraham is likely to play a big role in the final.

Right-wing: Paulo Dybala (Roma)

It's all good news for Mourinho's Roma, as the left-footed wizard has received the green light from the medical team to feature in the UEL finals. In just a meagre 36 appearances in total, the Argentine has scored a whopping 16 goals. With eight assists, he also knows very well how to find his teammates. In the Europa League, Dybala has scored four goals and has an assist in ten appearances.