On the eve of the UEFA Europa League final in Warsaw, Sevilla coach Unai Emery ordered his players not to show fear and to enjoy the chance to get into the history books.
The Spanish team triumphed in this tournament last season, when they defeated Lisbon's Benfica with a result of 4-2 after a penalty shootout at Juventus Stadium. This was Sevilla's third trophy.
Winning this trophy four times is a feat unmatched by any team. However, this final will be special in any case, as the Spanish opponents Dnipro are playing in it for the first time.
"We cannot deny that we have a chance to rewrite history. Of course, we are grateful for this opportunity," Emery told UEFA.com.
"With this team, with Sevilla, we want to achieve something extraordinary. However, this should not act as additional pressure in executing the game plan against Dnipro. It will add extra motivation for us, it will be like a dream that we can fulfill."
Both teams, especially Sevilla, trailing by one point in La Liga to Valencia finishing in fourth place, will have additional motivation this year, as the Europa League winner will receive a ticket to the Champions League for the first time.
Emery, who led his team to the final even without summer departures of Ivan Rakitic, Alberto Moreno, and Federico Fazio, understands that Dnipro is a dangerous opponent based on the opponents they defeated in the knockout stages.
"The fact that the winners now qualify for the Champions League has caused the tournament to grow even more. Teams consider it more important," added the Spanish strategist.
"This season, Dnipro was a huge surprise, as they eliminated several top-level clubs on their way. Clubs historically much larger than Dnipro.
"If they beat Olympiacos, Ajax, Club Brugge, and Napoli, who were considered favorites after defeating Wolfsburg, and reached the final, they definitely deserve it."
Meanwhile, Ukrainian team coach Myron Markevych mentioned that Dnipro's journey was somewhat unexpected for him.
"It is true that we did not plan to play in the final this season, but appetite grows by eating. When we defeated Olympiacos, I started to believe that we could travel at least to the semifinals."
Like Emery, Markevych spoke respectfully of his opponents during an interview with UEFA.com. The coach praised the style of play shown by the opponents, although he led his players to the final relying on a solid defense.
"I am a fan of Spanish football, that is true. I am not alone - many people around the world like it. I like their style of play and how teams behave on the field. I think Sevilla is somewhat similar to Napoli. This is probably because both teams' coaches are Spaniards.
"If I said that the players are not nervous, I would be wrong. Of course, they are nervous, but the most important thing is to stop feeling that way as soon as you step onto the field. Sevilla is a fantastic attacking team - it has good attackers, so they will create many chances. It will be a headache for us, but our defense, at least until today, has worked well."
An interesting fact is that Sevilla players have scored 26 goals in 14 games, while Dnipro's eleven have scored half as many. It seems that a fierce battle awaits.
