After 16 minutes one of the Roma veterans, Henrikh Mkhitaryan is out through injury. The Armenian was returning from an absence of a short month and was obviously not yet ready to set foot on the pitch.
Half an hour into the game, José Mourinho’s troops took the lead on a goal from Zaniolo, assisted by a fine pass from Mancini. The young striker puts his own in front thanks to a lucid gesture against goalkeeper Justin Bijlow.
In the second half, the Feyenoord players threatened Rui Patricio’s goal several times. But the experienced Portuguese goalkeeper pulls off two magnificent saves, allowing Roma to always be in front.
Cyril Dessers’ teammates tried everything at the end of the game. On several occasions the goalkeeper even left his cage in an attempt to come back to score. In vain because the Romans will hold until the end by seeking the first Conference League. Chris Smalling was also elected man of the match at the end of the game. Symbol of Roman resistance throughout the battle against Cyriel Dessers in particular. Roma’s attacking asset is Englishman Tammy Abraham, who emerged at Chelsea two seasons ago. With nine goals in thirteen games he is the 2nd goalscorer in the Conference League.
José Mourinho thus completes his record with a 5th European Cup with a 4th different club. He adds a 34th club trophy to his showcase, including two Champions Leagues (2004 with Porto, with Inter 2010), a UEFA Cup (2003 with Porto) and a Europa League (2017 with Manchester Utd).
Roma thus embellishes its European record which consisted of a victory in the Inter-Cities Cup in 1961 (which preceded the UEFA Cup), a Champions Cup final lost in 1984 and another in the European Cup. UEFA which was not more favorable to him in 1991.
Feyenoord remains on his European Cup of champion clubs in 1970 and two UEFA Cups in 1974 and 2002. This is Feyenoord’s first defeat on European soil. Dessers, on loan this season from Racing Genk, scored ten goals, making him the competition’s top scorer. He played the whole match in the final.
Banana squirts
Little noticed by commentators, it has not escaped Internet users. On an acceleration from Tammy Abraham near the Feyenoord goal, supporters threw inflatable bananas at the English striker. A racist scene which was not noted by the referee of the meeting.