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Stakes high for Liverpool, Sevilla in Europa League final

BASEL — There’s more at stake than just a trophy for Liverpool and Sevilla in the Europa League final on Wednesday (May 18).

Sevilla players gather, center, during the last training session prior the Europa League final between Liverpool FC and Sevilla FC in Basel, Switzerland on May 17, 2016. Photo: AP

Sevilla players gather, center, during the last training session prior the Europa League final between Liverpool FC and Sevilla FC in Basel, Switzerland on May 17, 2016. Photo: AP

BASEL — There’s more at stake than just a trophy for Liverpool and Sevilla in the Europa League final on Wednesday (May 18).

A guaranteed place in the group stage of next season’s Champions League is the bigger reward for the teams which placed eighth in the English Premier League and seventh in the Spanish league.

For Liverpool, the prestige of rejoining the elite will help manager Juergen Klopp’s plans to recruit and build a team this off-season for his first full campaign at the storied club.

“I am pretty sure that if we don’t win the title nobody will think it (the season) is a success,” Klopp said at a news conference on Tuesday. “We already know about ... the desire of our supporters. We know how much they want to win this Cup.”

Liverpool midfielder James Milner said the team’s focus was “all about winning trophies” rather than qualifying for a different event.

“It’s a nice bonus but I can’t honestly say ... we’ve thought about the Champions League too much,” Milner said.

The five-time winners of the European Cup and Champions League have no safety net on Wednesday. Lose at St. Jakob Park and there will be no magical nights of European soccer at Anfield next season.

Sevilla are at least assured of a Europa League place because of their domestic results, and have a second shot at a trophy. Coach Unai Emery leads his team in the Spanish Cup final on Sunday, where victory over Barcelona will earn a place in the group stage of the next Europa League rather than in July in the qualifying rounds.

The stakes may be higher for Liverpool but Sevilla can write a greater chapter in the history of UEFA competitions.

No team has won three straight UEFA Cups or Europa Leagues, and a fifth for Sevilla - all within just 10 years - would also extend the record they hold.

“We want to relive it, we want to experience it again,” Emery said, describing Liverpool as one of the 10 best clubs in world football. “They are real football, and they have a great history.”

Victory for Sevilla - ahead of a Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid final in the Champions League - would also ensure a third straight season sweep of UEFA’s club competitions for Spain.

“It is the highest level, so it’s the job of everybody else to reach this level or become better,” Klopp said.

Liverpool are among three teams with three titles in the competition’s 45-year-history, and a fourth on Wednesday to follow wins in 1973, 1976 and 2001 would equal Sevilla for the most.

One perfect record has to end: Sevilla and Liverpool have won all seven UEFA Cup and Europa League finals they have played.

Sevilla have not won outside of Spain all season - a streak that started in Tbilisi, Georgia, back in August when Barcelona won a thrilling UEFA Super Cup 5-4 after extra time.

Emery’s side lost all three matches on its travels in the group stage of the Champions League and, after transferring to the Europa League, its only away win was at Spanish rival Athletic Bilbao in the quarter-finals.

Asked to compare Liverpool’s playing style to another Spanish club, Emery picked Athletic for their pressing game and intensity typified by Klopp’s teams.

Liverpool at least won in Russia in the group stage of the Europa League, 1-0 at Rubin Kazan. Their only loss in a 14-match run to the final was to a Spanish opponent, giving up a stoppage-time goal at Villarreal in the first leg of the semi-finals.

Both teams have recently been to Basel. Liverpool lost 1-0 in a Champions League group match in October 2014, and Sevilla drew 0-0 in the round of 16 in March before winning the home leg 3-0. AP

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