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How Sevilla's sporting director has turned a selling club into one that will worry Liverpool tomorrow

Tomorrow night Basel provides the neutral venue for the Europa League final between Liverpool and...



How Sevilla's sporting dir...
Soccer

How Sevilla's sporting director has turned a selling club into one that will worry Liverpool tomorrow

Tomorrow night Basel provides the neutral venue for the Europa League final between Liverpool and Sevilla.

Jurgen Klopp is one of the key figures that has been grabbing the headlines pre-match but on the Sevilla side it's sporting director Monchi who has gone from being a substitute goalkeeper to becoming one of the most influential people as the La Liga club reach the cusp of a third Europa League trophy in a row and a fifth UEFA Cup/Europa League since 2005. 

"He clearly has a vision, clearly has an idea about how to build a football club," said The Guardian's Sid Lowe on Off The Ball tonight.

"He's a sporting director who's brought in an extra-ordinary large number of players. It isn't just looking towards success on the pitch but also success in sales because Sevilla are a club that in terms of their ordinary income and outcomes, simply don't make enough to survive."

Thus, the likes of Daniel Alves, Ivan Rakitic, Carlos Bacca and Freddy Kanoute have arrived for modest fees, succeeded and in many cases been sold for a profit and further success elsewhere.

Lowe also believes Liverpool's approach will be key to how the final goes, depending on whether it's the more conservative one that lost at Villarreal or the one that beat their fellow La Liga side handsomely at Anfield in the semi-final second leg.

Lowe also reacted to today's Spain Euro 2016 squad announcement which saw a number of big names miss out on selection.

How Sevilla's sporting director has turned a selling club into one that will worry Liverpool tomorrow

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