Hindsight is a wonderful thing, both in and out of football. 15 years ago to this day, on August 25, 2006, Sevilla FC won their only UEFA Super Cup in its history, which demonstrates in itself just how hard it is to have European success. Despite suffering several cruel losses, good things come to those who wait, and Sevilla beat a Champions League winning team to win the UEFA Super Cup in Monaco.
15 years is a long time, and in most cases, those who featured in the game are now retired. But Jesús Navas is an exception, and he spoke to the media about his fond memories, remembering the game as if it was yesterday: 'Personally, I think it was one of the team's best performances. We dominated the game against a giant of a team in Barcelona. We had a great team, and we knew exactly what we had to do to win. We were so solid defensively that they didn't have any real chance against us.'
The final was a dream come true for Sevilla fans, who saw their team win comfortably against a Barcelona side which included Puyol, Xavi, Ronaldinho, Deco and a young Lionel Messi. The team returned to Monaco one year later, but in very sad circumstances. Antonio Puerta's death a few hours before the game meant that it was a very tough and emotional match for the Nervión team. However, Puerta was a key player in the final against Barcelona in 2006, and Navas cherishes those memories fondly: 'He came on to the pitch with a hunger to score, and he completely changed the game for us. His individual play was impressive, and it was a shame that the ball didn't find the end of the net, but he won us a penalty and he helped us immensely.'
Speaking from a personal point of view, it was a special final for Navas himself, who played a key role in the game: 'Being able to win such an important trophy with the club, as well as helping to create the second goal, was really special. We had the momentum and confidence that was needed to beat such a big team. Beating Barcelona 3-0 is impressive, and it was so special to share this experience with our fans.'
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