Liverpool vs. Sevilla: Team News, Preview, Live Stream, TV Info
Liverpool arrive in Basel, Switzerland, for their 63rd and final game of the roller-coaster campaign of season 2015/16.
Wednesday's UEFA Europa League final against Spanish side Sevilla offers the opportunity not only for Jurgen Klopp to deliver the club's first silverware since 2012 and their first European trophy in 11 years, but also—perhaps most crucially—to secure Champions League football for next season.
The importance of the outcome at St. Jakob-Park cannot be understated for either side, with both looking to qualify for Europe next season via this match, having finished outside the European qualification places in their respective leagues.
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Sevilla won't be easy opposition. They've won this trophy in each of the last two seasons, and they are the first club to contest such a final three years in succession. Their victory last season means they've won the competition more times than any other side (four, all in the last decade: 2006, 2007, 2014, 2015).
Both sides have a rich pedigree in this competition, and neither has lost a UEFA Cup/Europa League final before, with Liverpool having won the competition on three occasions previously (1973, 1976 and 2001).
It's the first meeting between the Reds and Los Rojiblancos, and both seeds need victory in order to continue to taste European football next season. Sevilla finished seventh in La Liga and Liverpool eighth in the Premier League, meaning it's Champions League or nothing for the two next season.
Liverpool have won eight of their previous 11 European finals, but history will matter little once the two sides walk out in the final on Wednesday evening.
Date: Wednesday, 18 May
Time: 7.45 p.m. GMT / 2.45 p.m. ET
Venue: St. Jakob-Park, Basel, Switzerland
TV Info: BT Sport Europe * / FOX Sports 1
Live Stream: BT Sport Europe / YouTube (U.K only) / FOX Soccer 2GO (U.S only)
* BT have made the final free to air for all UK citizens; you can watch via Freeview channel 59, on BT.com, or via YouTube link above.
Form Lines (Last Five Games)
Klopp has focussed massively on the Europa League for the last two months, resulting in the eighth-place league finish. A much-changed lineup drew 1-1 at West Bromwich Albion on the final day of the season on Sunday.
Like Liverpool, Sevilla have focussed on Europa League, resulting in just three wins in their first 10 Liga games. They are also the only side in the top five divisions in Europe not to win a single away game in their respective domestic league.
The Spaniards have also struggled on the road in Europe, losing at Juventus, Manchester City and Borussia Monchengladbach in the Champions League, before winning just one of their away games in the Europa League—at fellow Spanish side Athletic Bilbao.
Liverpool
Drew 1-1 vs. West Brom
Drew 1-1 vs. Chelsea
Won 2-0 vs. Watford
Won 3-0 vs. Villarreal (Europa League)
Lost 3-1 vs. Swansea City
Sevilla
Lost 3-1 vs. Athletic Bilbao
Lost 4-1 vs. Granada
Won 3-1 vs. Shakhtar Donetsk (Europa League)
Lost 1-0 vs. Espanyol
Drew 2-2 vs. Shakhtar Donetsk (Europa League)
Team News
Klopp is boosted by the returns from injury of key duo Jordan Henderson and Divock Origi. Although neither is expected to start the match, both are likely to be substitutes and could play key roles from the bench.
Klopp is also boosted by the return of back-up goalkeeper Danny Ward, who had missed the last three league games through injury.
Sevilla are without Michael Krohn-Dehli, Jose Antonio Reyes, Benoit Tremoulinas and Marco Andreolli but have winger Yevhen Konoplyanka back available. Sevilla manager Unai Emery, speaking at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday, refused to be drawn on whether the Ukrainian would start the match.
Predicted Lineups
Liverpool: Simon Mignolet, Nathaniel Clyne, Dejan Lovren, Kolo Toure, Alberto Moreno, Emre Can, James Milner, Adam Lallana, Roberto Firmino, Philippe Coutinho, Daniel Sturridge.
Sevilla: David Soria, Mariano, Adil Rami, Timothee Kolodziejczak, Sergio Escudero, Coke, Steven N'Zonzi, Grzegorz Krychowiak, Vitolo, Ever Banega, Kevin Gameiro.
Players to Watch
Liverpool: Philippe Coutinho
Liverpool's Brazilian No. 10 has been the key man in this Europa League run, coming up with the required quality—and goals—at crucial stages.
His goal against Manchester United was the Reds' goal of the season, while his goal at home to Borussia Dortmund was the igniter for the incredible comeback.
Coutinho has stepped up to the plate and supplied crucial goals in his best goalscoring campaign of his career so far, and it would be fitting if he fired another to give Liverpool victory to cap a fine season for him individually.
Sevilla: Yevhen Konoplyanka
Konoplyanka was heavily linked with a move to Merseyside in January 2014, but the deal didn't materialise. Speaking a year ago, before the 2015 Europa League final, he admitted regret at not making the move to Liverpool.
While he may not start this game, he could still pose a huge threat even as a substitute with the match potentially decided late. He'll certainly be keen to make an impression and could be crucial when running in behind Liverpool's full backs.
The 26-year-old has eight goals and nine assists in all competitions this season but is yet to find the net in the Europa League this campaign. He did score two in the Champions League, though, before Sevilla's exit at the group stage.
Key Battle: Midfield
As identified by Jack Lusby, a key battle will be between Liverpool's most defensive midfielder, Emre Can, and Sevilla's most offensive midfielder, Ever Banega.
Can doesn't sit just in front of the back four and will rotate with James Milner in the deepest role, but the German will be given the task of keeping the Argentine playmaker quiet.
Can was impressive on his return from injury in the semi-final second-leg against Villarreal, putting in a more disciplined performance that allowed Milner to prosper further forward.
Banega will be tasked with supplying the ammunition for striker Kevin Gameiro, and Can will be required to stop that supply line.
Milner, meanwhile, must keep former Stoke City man Steven N'Zonzi quiet—a man who enjoyed his last appearance against the Reds on the final day of last season, scoring in that 6-1 defeat at the Brittannia.
Odds (via Oddschecker)
Liverpool: 7-5
Sevilla: 23-10
Draw: 12-5
* Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise stated.
