Sevilla coach Jose Luis Mendilibar is ready to test himself against Roma’s Jose Mourinho in the Europa League final.
The final will be held next week in Budapest.
Mendilibar said: “Mourinho is one of the greats. Just think what he has won and where he has been… he has coached the best clubs in Europe. Everything I can say about him is good. Being able to face him, wonderful. We will try to win.
“There will be differences. Yes, we visited him when he was training Madrid. We were able to see him in two sessions, one match and we spoke to his coaching staff. Grateful that he left us. Mourinho has shown that he is a great coach, he has implanted his style in his teams and on top of that he has done well. That is from a very good coach, at all times he has convinced the player. He has made Eto’o play on the wing in a match, well, tell me how?!
“Sevilla can be given as a favoruite with six UEFAs. Many times you look at the history or the budget. I see it 50-50. When I arrived here two months ago, the team was two points behind relegation and in the quarterfinals. At no time do they tell you that you have to abandon the Europa League and focus on LaLiga.
“You feel like it’s bigger in that sense of wanting to win. In two and a half months we are going to play 17 games and you convince yourself that every day you must go to win each game. Apart from the club, it is the same people on the street who demand that of you. It’s not enough for them to reach the final, they have to win it.”
