Second chances spur on finalists

Tuesday, 15 May 2007
by Andrew Haslamfrom Glasgow

RCD Espanyol and Sevilla FC aim to take advantage of second chances of entirely different descriptions when they meet in the UEFA Cup final at Hampden Park on Wednesday night.

Title defence
Sevilla are in the final for the second year running having impressively swept aside Middlesbrough FC 4-0 in Eindhoven to claim their first European silverware, and now stand on the brink of becoming just the second side to successfully defend the trophy after Real Madrid CF in 1985 and 1986. Espanyol have a contrasting motivation for wanting to prevail in Glasgow having reached their only UEFA final in 1988 only to lose on penalties to Bayer 04 Leverkusen despite winning the first part of what was a two-legged final, 3-0.

'More of the same'
"It is a great chance to defend the trophy," said Sevilla coach Juande Ramos, who will replace the suspended Julien Escudé with Aitor Ocio in central defence, while Adriano Correia has recovered from a thigh injury. "Last year was great for us, but this is also a huge match and a big chance for Espanyol, while we want more of the same. To win back-to-back trophies is something only Real Madrid have done and that was a long while back. As a club we are proud to have this chance to recreate history; it is in our hands, or our legs, and we'll be doing everything to achieve it."

'Beautiful match'
In addition to last year's triumph in the Netherlands, Sevilla also lifted the UEFA Super Cup in 2006 with a 3-0 victory against FC Barcelona, but their coach is not assuming they will automatically rise to the occasion again. "Nobody has the right to win," said Ramos, whose team defeated RC Recreativo de Huelva 2-1 on Saturday to stay in contention for the Primera División title. "It was a beautiful match in Eindhoven so hopefully we'll have as good a game and enjoy the same luck. There are many factors to playing a final and the team that gets more of these right on the night will win. Because we have played a number of finals recently I'm confident and Espanyol will have to do a lot – and do it very well – if they are to win."

'One that got away'
Espanyol coach Ernesto Valverde, meanwhile, knows all too well how mistakes can be costly in a UEFA Cup final. Part of the side that established a three-goal cushion 19 years ago, Valverde then sat out the disastrous second leg but recognises that its effects are still being felt by the club. "After we lost in Leverkusen, the UEFA Cup has always meant something to Espanyol," he said. "From the start of this season the boys have treated the competition properly. Maybe the fact we lost a final has something to do with that, along with the way the fans still think of the tournament and the one that got away."

'You never know'
The coach, whose team surrendered a 3-1 lead to lose 4-3 at Real Madrid CF at the weekend, is nevertheless optimistic that the latest Espanyol vintage can cope with these expectations, adding: "This is a different situation. We took a good first-leg lead but then disintegrated once they scored their first goal in Germany. This is an entirely different match and another chance for us. You don't have many opportunities to lift a European trophy. The key to a final is something you can't predict. You have to cope with the tension of the occasion, but you never quite know what's going to happen."

Probable teams
RCD Espanyol: Gorka Iraizoz; Pablo Zabaleta, Moisés Hurtado, Daniel Jarque, David García; Franciso Rufete, Ito, Iván de la Peña, Albert Riera; Luis García, Raúl Tamudo.

Sevilla FC: Andrés Palop; Daniel Alves, Aitor Ocio, Javi Navarro, David Castedo; Renato, Christian Poulsen, José Luis Martí; Adriano Correia; Luis Fabiano, Frédéric Kanouté.

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Sevilla's magic moment endures

Tuesday, 15 May 2007
by Patrick Hartfrom Glasgow

Juande Ramos and his Sevilla FC players might have visited Glasgow Cathedral in the run-up to Wednesday's UEFA Cup final but, according to captain Javi Navarro, they have no need of divine intervention to be in a state of grace.

Magic moments
For Navarro, the Spanish club have been enjoying "a beautiful moment" ever since lifting the UEFA Cup last season – their first trophy since 1948. "It was a beautiful moment for us," the 33-year-old central defender said. "And we have been having a great time in the last 12 months; our aim is to keep on enjoying moments like this."

'Living with pressure'
Sevilla's victory over Middlesbrough FC in Eindhoven has served as the prelude to a tilt for glory on three fronts this season – Europe, the Primera División (they are third) and the Copa del Rey (Getafe CF await in the final). "Last year was so enjoyable and to come here and do something similar is what we want now," the Spanish international continued. "I don't know if experience gives you confidence, but we can live with the pressure of being favourites and will just get on with it."

'More of the same'
If the trip to the 900-year-old cathedral was "a personal thing for each player", there is consensus in the dressing room as to the value of Hampden Park opponents RCD Espanyol. Where Navarro says, "they are a quick team who are good on the ball", his defensive colleague David Castedo adds: "They have a lot of firepower, they are very mobile and they have good pace. We are facing a good team and one of us will have to lose; our aim is to be the other team." The 33-year-old full-back went on to say: "We have the experience of last year and we want the same again."

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Pandiani's goal is victory

Tuesday, 15 May 2007
by Patrick Hartfrom Glasgow

Topping the UEFA Cup scoring chart will count for nothing for Walter Pandiani if the centre-forward finishes on the losing side when RCD Espanyol take on Sevilla FC in Wednesday's Glasgow final.

Desire for victory
The Uruguayan's eleven strikes have fired Espanyol to the Hampden Park showpiece, yet their value will depreciate interminably unless the Catalan club can find a way past the holders in the all-Spanish encounter. "If we don't win this trophy, my goals will have meant nothing," the 31-year-old hitman said. "Our objective has not only been to get to the final, but to win it."

History calling
Pandiani cannot stress enough that the true goal for Ernesto Valverde's team is to provide an end product to a UEFA Cup campaign which effectively incorporates the efforts of last season's Copa del Rey victory; a consummation for the blue-and-white half of Barcelona. "It is a historic moment for the club, the fans and the players," explained the former RC Deportivo La Coruña player. "We have to repay the fans for everything they have given to us. A final is a final, and this one is massive for our club. You always dream of playing finals and we will be going out there to give absolutely everything.

Kanouté threat
"We have got to enjoy the occasion. We had to keep this team in the top flight at the end of last season and, although this match is a very difficult one, we have the chance to put the seal on everything we have done." While Sevilla must beware Pandiani, they have a striking talisman of their own in Frédéric Kanouté, whose 19 Primera División goals this term have been supplemented by three in the UEFA Cup. "He wins balls in the air, he can drop deep and run at you, and he has got a lethal shot," warned Moisés Hurtado, Espanyol's homegrown defender.

'Exciting opportunity'
"But when this team is confident, together and we know what we are doing, we can win any game," continued the 26-year-old. "The experience gained from matches like the Werder Bremen semi-final has been invaluable, and this is an exciting opportunity for us to grasp, not to be afraid of. We are in the best possible form going into this European final, it should be a great occasion and hopefully we'll be able to bring the trophy home to Barcelona."

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