Yesterday, after explaining to not-so-new UEFA Europa League winners, Goal.com decided to select a symbolic eleven of this tournament. It includes players who have played in the final.
Goalkeeper - Simon Mignolet. This Belgian, who guarded the gates of Liverpool, kept them "dry" more than any other player, so it's no wonder that he can be considered the best in Europe league. In the final, he conceded three goals, but he cannot be blamed for any of them.
The defenders are led by Victor Ruiz from Villarreal. The 27-year-old footballer started in all 14 matches of his team and helped them not to concede a single precise strike seven times.
Also on the best team is Donetsk's Shakhtar representative Yaroslav Rakitskiy. The Ukrainian performed well in the knockout stages of the tournament, not only demonstrating defensive skills but also scoring one goal and providing an assist.
The final defender in the trio is Dejan Lovren from Borussia Dortmund. It was the Croatian's last-minute goal that allowed Liverpool to unbelievably come back and step into the semi-finals, where the English club also triumphed. The player performed consistently throughout the season.
Sevilla captain Coke, who migrates between the defender and midfielder positions, immediately made it to the latter round. His brace was crucial in the Europa League final, where the Spaniards won 3-1.
Meanwhile, Philippe Coutinho didn't perform well in the final, but throughout the season, he created 28 chances for his teammates to score and scored important goals against Manchester United and Borussia.
Another champion player in this eleven is Ever Banega. The Argentine was one of the brightest stars in the tournament and masterfully organized Sevilla's game from the center of the field.
One of the leaders of Villarreal, Denis Suarez, shines on the left side. With seven assists - more than any other player - he was crucial in setting up the "yellow" attacks.
The forward line couldn't do without the outstanding Kevin Gameiro this season. Former PSG player, playing for Sevilla, scored eight goals in nine knockout matches and added a crucial goal in the final.
Another Frenchman in the list is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, chased by the European giants. Throughout the season, he scored eight goals, shining the most in the quarter-final clash with London's Tottenham.
35-year-old Bilbao Athletic sniper Aritz Aduriz is experiencing a second youth. In 11 matches, he scored 10 goals and this summer will travel to the European Championship in France with the Spanish national team.
