Bold Prediction: A Spanish Club will win the UEFA Cup Final

By: Bob | May 15th, 2007

As a football prognosticator I like to go out on a limb. I believe I was the only person in the universe to pick Serbia and Montenegro and Ivory Coast over the Netherlands and Argentina in the World Cup. That one certainly turned out to be infallible. With some more wisdom under my belt and a mid-table showing thus far in our MLS Predictor League, I feel confident predicting that a team from Spain will lift the UEFA Cup trophy on Wednesday.

Baring nuclear catastrophe, and frankly that would kind of suck so don’t play with nukes, kids, either Sevilla or Espanyol will capture Europe’s second prize. This is the first time it is an all-Spanish affair. Sadly, a little thing called life will prevent me from liveblogging this one, but instead of running to the nearest open window to jump you should watch it anyway. It is going to be a cracker.

Sevilla’s players know what it is like to hoist the trophy over their heads while dancing around in a confetti shower. They defeated Middlesbrough last year in the final. The story is slightly different this go around. They are going for an unprecedented treble in Spain. They are in the final in the Copa del Rey and are in the thick of things in the league race. Their players are tired and their form has been all over the map.

They play an Espanyol side that has been the essence of mediocrity in La Liga, but who have played very well in the UEFA Cup. This is a side that avoided relegation from the Spanish league on the last game of the season last year and who qualified for this year’s tournament by winning the Copa del Rey. They seemingly only come to play in tournaments.

Both teams have beaten each other at home this year. Neither team will be playing at home with Glasgow as the venue.

I’m going to put the Curse of Bob on Sevilla and say that they will win 2-1 because they have the better talent and the experience of winning the big prize.

Your infallible predictions?