Unai Emery and the battle for the hat-trick

Unai Emery and the battle for the hat-trick

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Never in the history of the Europa League/UEFA Cup has a team managed to go back-to-back-to-back. That is the task facing Unai Emery and his Sevilla as they face Liverpool in this season’s showpiece in Basel.

Emery has led Los Rojiblancos to two consecutive titles already and on May 18 will look to complete the hat-trick. The former left winger is a decisive figure in Spanish football winning plaudits for his attractive style of football but alienating others for his unpredictable team selections and displays.

Sevilla were La Liga’s most inconsistent team in 2015/16 whose home record had them qualifying for next season’s Champions League, but whose results away from home would have seen them relegated. Regardless of the result, or performance, Emery portrayed a madman on the sidelines. Jumping around, shouting instructions to his charges and permanently pushing the boundaries of his technical area many could judge him as an unsettled character who lacked any form of a game plan, but that is far from the case.


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A man who meticulously plans for his opposition, Emery is a video tape manager who will sit every player down prior to a match with footage of the opponent and their strengths and weaknesses. Emery studies his next foe and creates a game plan to suit. He rotates players to take advantage of their own pros and cons as much as those of his opposition.

His tinkering of his side has led to comparisons with a certain Premier League Champion while his sideline displays bring to mind those of his Europa league adversary. This season’s failing away from home aside, Emery’s team has been a rolling juggernaut who can capture the imagination with their blistering speed and hunger and while their tactical nous may come in for question their heart cannot.

In a similar way to Diego Simeone’s successes at Atletico, Sevilla have become almost a mirror image of their manager. What is remarkable about the man’s achievements in the Andalusian capital is that he has brought success to a team who are constantly being purged of their top talents.

Following his first taste of Europa League success, Emery had to deal with the absence of Ivan Rakitic, Federico Fazio and Alberto Moreno who were poached by Barcelona, Tottenham and Liverpool respectively. His second victory was won on the back of Carlos Bacca, who soon departed for Milan, and featured Aleix Vidal, who left for Barcelona.

Entering their third final and this team shows the same fight as their predecessors while featuring talent added by Emery and heralded Sporting Director Monchi. Attacking weapons Kevin Gameiro and Yevhen Konoplyanka have been added to the side in recent years and display a lot of their manager’s tendencies.

Willing, tenacious and combative could be words used to describe both manager and players in this Sevilla side and when they come face to face with the Reds in Basel fireworks could ensue. With both sides not known for their defensive capabilities the final could be one of the most open in recent history.

Emery’s side has scored 51 in the league this season, and conceded 50, so we are unlikely to see a 0-0 result. This is unlikely to bother the 44-year-old as he clearly places a higher value on scoring than he does conceding. With that being said his first Europa League victory came after a goalless draw with Benfica, his side winning 4-2 on penalties, but that was rectified only a year later with a much more expansive 3-2 victory over Dnipro.

Look for Emery to send his men out in his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation. Wing-backs Benoit Tremoulinas and Marino will push high in support of lone striker Gameiro leaving the side short at the back but potentially devastating going forward. If Emery and his Sevilla team do get past Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool their names will forever be etched in history as the first side to achieve a three-peat.

With history secured Los Rojiblancos will continue in their usual vein of saying goodbye to their best but under the tutelage of one of Spain’s finest coaches will continue to fight above their means.

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