Europa League: already heroes of the World Cup, Montiel and Bounou have put it back with Sevilla

Bis repetita! History happily repeats itself for Yassine Bounou and Gonzalo Montiel. A few months after the World Cup in Qatar, where they had distinguished themselves, one under the tunic of the Argentine selection, the other under that of Morocco, the two players were the great craftsmen of the victory of Seville (1-1, 4-1 t.a.b.) in the final of the Europa League against AS Roma on Wednesday night. Ordinary heroes.

✅ Winning penalty in the World Cup final
✅🏆🌍Winning penalty in the Europa League final 🏆🇪🇺

Montiel = clutch ❄️ pic.twitter.com/bp1VqDa6ko

— 433 (@433) May 31, 2023

Entering the game in the 95th minute of the match - in place of captain Jesus Navas - Gonzalo Montiel did not need to spend long minutes on the pitch of the Puskas Arena in Budapest to be decisive and enter the history of Sevilla. Five months after scoring the winning penalty with Argentina in the World Cup final against France, the defender was again the liberator of his own on Wednesday. From an inside of the right foot, he scored the 4th and penalty of the penalty shootout.

However, the world champion had to do it twice before he could raise his arms to the sky. His first attempt had indeed been repelled by Rui Patricio with a superb relaxation... But the goalkeeper didn't have both feet on the line at the time of the strike, so the referee gave him a second chance. That he did not let slip away with a judicious counter-foot after deciding to change sides.

A nice nod to history also lived by Yassine Bounou. Hero of Morocco during the campaign at the World Cup with a historic semi-final, the goalkeeper was again authoritarian and - almost - impassable on his line. If he could not do anything on Dybala's cross from the left that allowed Rome to open the scoring in the first half (0-1), Bounou made two high-class saves in front of Abraham (67th) and Belotti (84th) to snatch extra time.

Yassine Bounou 🇲🇦

Named Player of this final! #UELfinal | #UEL | #SevASR | #Bounou pic.twitter.com/jxsmBjwzts

— UEFA 🇫🇷 (@UEFAcom_fr) May 31, 2023

He was subsequently impeccable in the penalty shootout. After repelling Mancini's attempt (2-1), Yassine Bounou deflected - slightly - Ibanez's strike on the post. After eliminating Spain in the 8th finals of the World Cup, in a penalty shootout during which he did not go for any ball in the back of the net, "Bono", his nickname, has put it back.

Bono on the second penalty stopped: "You'll have to check the camera! I think I touched him. I think it was in it if I hadn't touched it. pic.twitter.com/Z7x0R37fq2

— SOCCER212 (@SCCR_212) June 1, 2023

"I've experienced many moments like this, I think you have to be very calm in moments like this," said the Moroccan after the final. And your teammates, they calm you down, they give you security (...). This year there were a lot of emotions, between the World Cup and everything, and today, sometimes, the head spins and you don't analyze exactly what is happening, so you have to take things with serenity. A recipe that he masters perfectly. "Today's stops remind me of those at the World Cup. I offer this trophy to Moroccan fans and my family! ", concluded the hero of Seville.