How Sevilla turned a Champions League exit into a historic third consecutive title
In short: In the 2015–16 UEFA Europa League, a single team mastered the art of the drop-down. After failing to progress from the Champions League group stage, Sevilla didn't just survive the secondary tournament—they dominated it, setting a record that remains a benchmark for European football.
The 2015–16 season marked the 45th edition of Europe's secondary club tournament and the seventh since its rebranding from the UEFA Cup. It was a year defined by Sevilla's extraordinary run. Having entered the season as the defending champions, they actually began their campaign in the Champions League. However, after finishing third in their Champions League group, they were transferred into the Europa League, where they ultimately defeated Liverpool in the final at St. Jakob-Park in Basel, Switzerland.
This victory was more than just a single trophy; it was a historic feat of consistency. By winning, Sevilla secured their fifth Europa League title and achieved their third consecutive tournament win, a record-breaking achievement. The win also earned them a spot in the 2016 UEFA Super Cup against Real Madrid, as well as qualification for the following season's Champions League.
The tournament's structure underwent significant changes for this three-year cycle. New regulations approved by the UEFA Executive Committee in 2013 meant that title holders would now qualify directly for the Champions League rather than being reserved a spot in the Europa League. This created a vacuum in the allocation system. For instance, because Sevilla's Champions League qualification vacated their usual Europa League berth from La Liga, the spot was not passed to another Spanish team, but instead led to shifts in how teams from associations like Switzerland and Cyprus were promoted through the qualifying rounds.
The scale of the competition was massive, involving 191 teams from 5 and 54 UEFA member associations. The tournament's complexity was evident in its draws; the first and second qualifying round draw in June 2015 featured 102 teams, making it the largest tournament draw in UEFA's history at that time.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: 2015–16 UEFA Europa League
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