With all eyes from across the continent falling on the Albanian city of Tirana, Roma claimed their first European trophy as they clinched a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Feyenoord on Wednesday night.
Lifting this season’s inaugural Europa Conference League title and writing their own piece of history in doing so, it was Nicolo Zaniolo who cemented his spot in Giallorossi folklaw just after the half hour mark.
Producing a clever flick past Feyenoord’s returning goalkeeper Justin Bijlow and sending Wednesday’s traveling support into overdrive, there is no doubt that the party back in Italy will run into the early hours.
Overcoming a second-half rally from their Dutch opponents, we have taken a look at the main talking points as Roma lifted the Europa Conference League crown.
Roma make European history
Storming their way to a 3-0 victory away at Torino on the final weekend of this season’s Serie A campaign, Roma certainly found the mood in their camp at a high heading into Wednesday’s showpiece event.
Eventually managing to snatch a top-six finish and leapfrogging Fiorentina at the final hurdle, Mourinho’s men have certainly bounced back following that remarkable 6-1 defeat at the hands of Norweigan outfit Bodø/Glimt back in October.
Manging to book their spot in Wednesday’s final after a 2-1 aggregate victory against Premier League Leicester City earlier in the month, the Giallorossi have wrote themselves into the history books after their 1-0 victory here.
While the Italian giants might be regarded as one of Europe’s elite, they had astonishingly never failed to lift any kind of European trophy.
However, spearheaded by former Chelsea star Tammy Abraham who has only continued to impress since making the move to the Stadio Olimpico last summer, Wednesday’s win will be remembered as one of the greatest in their rich history.
Likewise, managing to claim their first piece of silverware since lifting the Coppa Italia back in 2008, Roma really couldn’t have wished for a better way to end the 2021/22 campaign.
Mourinho does it again
With it announced last summer that a certain ‘Special One’ would be taking charge at the Stadio Olimpico, many across Europe were wondering what Mourinho had left in the tank.
Shockingly given the sack by Tottenham last season on the eve of their League Cup final against Manchester City, the one-time Manchester United boss once again underlined why he is still one of Europe’s elite managers.
Managing to snatch a top-six finish following last weekend’s 3-0 romp away at Torino, Mourinho also wrote another piece of European history on Wednesday night.
Along with guiding Roma to their first-ever European success at their fifth attempt, the 59-year-old became the first manager in history to win all of Uefa’s major European trophies.
Likewise, lifting his first piece of silverware since guiding Manchester United to the Europa League title back in 2017, he also witnessed his side put in a trademark Mourinho display here.
Mobbed by his backroom staff after the final whistle out in Albania, Mourinho certainly has found a real home at the Stadio Olimpico.
Feyenoord’s youngsters fall at the final hurdle
While Feyenoord might have signed off their Eredivisie campaign with a 2-1 defeat at home against Twente on May 15th, the Dutch outfit traveled out to Tirana on Wednesday night smelling a chance.
However, starting their Europa Conference League adventure during the qualifying rounds back in July, Head Coach Arne Slot saw his side eventually fall at the final hurdle despite a gritty second-half flurry.
Hitting the post twice in the space of five minutes after returning from the interval, Feyenoord were met by ex-Wolves goalkeeper Rui Patricio who produced a couple of stellar saves.
Entering Wednesday’s showdown in Albania with attacking talisman Cyriel Dessers already racking up 10 European strikes in his 12 appearances, the Genk loanee really failed to get any change out of former England international Chris Smalling,
Nevertheless, fielding a starting XI with just an average of 24 – the youngest to be fielded in a European fixture since Ajax in 2017 – Slot’s side should still be boosted by a hugely impressive European campaign this season.
Picking up the scalps of Marseille, Slavia Prague and Union Berlin on route to Wednesday’s showdown, the Dutch outfit must try and find the positives as they head into a well-deserved summer break.
Match Report:
Roma: Patricio, Mancini, Smalling, Silva, Karsdorp, Mkhitaryan, Cristante, Zalewski, Pellegrini, Zaniolo, Abraham
Subs: Vina, Oliveira, Spinazzola, Veretout, Shomurodov
Feyenoord: Bijlow, Geertruida, Trauner, Senesi, Malacia, Aurnes, Kökçü, Nelson, Til, Sinisterra, Dessers
Subs: Pederson, Jahanbakhsh, Wålemark, Linssen, Toornstra
Goals: Zaniolo (32′)
Yellow Cards: Roma: Patricio, Zalewski, Spinazzola, PellegrinI – Feyenoord: Traunrer
Red Cards: N/A
Referee: István Kovács
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