Sevilla duo Bono and En-Nesyri hope for final prize against Roma to cap historic season

Naturally, Sevilla have been practicing penalties. It is obligatory ahead of a major final, and more so when the opposition are coached by Jose Mourinho, whose Roma have learnt how to keep things tight and stay patient. But this Sevilla, chasing a remarkable sixth triumph in the Europa League – formerly the Uefa Cup – in 16 years, would back themselves in a shoot-out.

Two of those previous Uefa titles were won via penalties. Above all, they have faith in the skill of goalkeeper, Yassine Bounou, known to all as simply ‘Bono’, whose rollercoaster season featured a total shutout in a shoot-out that made history for his country, Morocco.

It was in the World Cup last-16 tie against Spain in Al Rayyan, Qatar. Bono went through it, and the 120 minutes of attrition beforehand, unbeaten. He judged wisely to keep out spot-kicks from Sergio Busquets and Carlos Soler, dived the right way when Pablo Sarabia struck his post and put Morocco through.

What if penalties, or extra-time, are imminent at Budapest’s Puskas Arena tonight, and there’s one very late chance to settle the outcome? Sevilla would trust their centre-forward to seize it. Youssef En-Nesyri’s year, like his compatriot Bono’s, has been a story of late moments of drama.

Take En-Nesyri’s header, deflected past Manchester United’s David de Gea in the Europa League quarter-final, pointing Sevilla towards a stunning recovery. He scored in injury time at Old Trafford, where United had led 2-0 at half-time. “His goal in Manchester was the turning point,” Bono told El Pais. “It tapped into everything this club has with this competition and brought back an energy we’d been lacking.”

When En-Nesyri then scored in the 81st minute in the second leg against United, the aggregate