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TURIN — Sevilla will be Benfica's opponents on the field in Wednesday's Europa League final, yet many of the Portuguese team's fans believe that other forces will be at work as they attempt to win their first European trophy for 52 years.

After winning the old European Cup in 1961 and 1962, Benfica have gone on to play in seven more European finals and lost them all, a run of failures which many blame on the so-called "curse of Bela Guttmann".

Guttmann was the Hungarian coach who led Benfica to their two European Cup wins, but on leaving the club in acrimonious circumstances he declared: "Benfica will not win another European final without me".

Lo and behold, Benfica went on to lose finals to AC Milan (1963), Inter Milan (1965) and Manchester United (1968).

Guttmann died in 1981, yet the run of defeats continued as they lost further European Cup finals to PSV Eindhoven (1988) and AC Milan (1990), and UEFA/Europa league finals to Anderlecht (1983) and Chelsea last year.

The late Eusebio famously prayed at Guttmann's grave in Vienna, asking in vain for the curse to be broken, and in February, the club unveiled a statue of Guttmann in front of the Stadium of Light, something many observers saw as another attempt to break it.

Underneath the statue is a quote from Guttmann himself which reads: "Only those of us inside Benfica know what mystique really is. There is no other club in the world with a mystique like Benfica's".

Coach Jorge Jesus, however, said that experience, hard work and tactics would decide the final at the Juventus Stadium.

"I'm not superstitious," he told reporters. "I believe in people's value and the quality of their work. I believe that the best team does not always win in a final and I also believe that we can be better than Sevilla and win this match.

"It's the second time we are in one of these finals. We have a better idea of how to deal with the anxiety."

Sevilla, on the other hand, have played in two European finals and won them both, beating Middlesbrough in the 2006 UEFA Cup final and Espanyol the following year.

"We all thought that Juventus would win this championship. We all know about Benfica and their potential and we've seen that they have knocked out Juventus and Tottenham along the way," Sevilla coach Unai Emery said, suggesting that his side were underdogs.

Fifth in La Liga, Sevilla have had a long, nerve-wracking 18-match route to the final which began at home to Montenegro's Mladkost Podgorica on August 1.

They won a penalty shootout to beat neighbours Real Betis in the round of 16 and then scored an injury-time goal to beat fellow Spaniards Valencia on away goals in the semi-finals.

Benfica parachuted into the competition's knockout stage after being knocked out of the Champions League, something which many feel devalues the Europa League. They have played only eight matches in the competition and are unbeaten.

Benfica have bounced back from a disastrous end to last season, when they lost the Europa League final, Portuguese Cup final and were pipped by Porto for the league title, and are on course for a domestic treble.

The Eagles, who boast a large contingent of South American players, have already won the league and League Cup.

"We are in the final on merit and we deserve everything that is happening to us," said Jesus, who barely survived last season's collapse and is now lauded as one of the country's top coaches.

MANCHESTER — Manchester City won the Premier League for the second time in three seasons on Sunday, completing their campaign with a comfortable 2-0 victory over West Ham that lacked any of the drama of their previous title.

Unlike the stoppage-time comeback required in the 2012 title decider, goals either side of halftime by Samir Nasri and Vincent Kompany provided a more serene end to what had been an exhilarating season.

"You can't repeat what happened last time," City goalkeeper Joe Hart said. "This year, we've really come on strong at the end when we needed to."

Two years ago, City won the title on goal difference ahead of neighbour Manchester United after coming from behind to beat Queens Park Rangers on the final day. 

Sunday's victory, though, meant Liverpool's 2-1 win over Newcastle at Anfield was meaningless as City finished two points above the Merseyside club.

As soon as the final whistle was blown, thousands of fans flooded onto the Etihad Stadium pitch, setting off blue flares. For a club that have spent so much time in the shadow of United — last year's champion — it was just the fourth time in their 134-year history that fans could celebrate a league title.

Just 15 years ago, City were playing in the third tier of English football, but the club's fortunes were transformed after the influx of Abu Dhabi cash following a 2008 takeover.

Making this victory all the sweeter is the fact that United, who beat City to the title by 11 points last May, ended this campaign in seventh place after imploding in the post-Alex Ferguson era.

Although City spent just 15 days at the summit during a campaign when the lead changed hands 25 times, Manuel Pellegrini's side surged to the top when it mattered most. 

The 60-year-old Chilean is ending his first season in English football as a double winner, having already won the league cup victory over Sunderland in March.

However, the league title looked out of reach for City just weeks ago after losing to Liverpool at Anfield. However, Liverpool collapsed towards the end with a loss to Chelsea and a draw at Crystal Palace which meant City only needed a draw at the Etihad to secure the title.

But after an edgy start, Nasri scored with a shot from outside the area in the 39th minute and Vincent Kompany added the second from close range shortly after the break to let fans celebrate for much of the second half.

"Liverpool's game against Chelsea, I think that's the twist of the season," Nasri said.

All City required was a draw, but after an edgy start this energetic and attacking team seized on the opportunity to finish the season in style. Against an uninspiring West Ham, City were in complete control, calmly knocking the ball around the pitch.

But the goal that settled nerves in the stands came in the 39th minute, with Yaya Toure teeing up Nasri, who took two touches before curling the shot into the net off the inside of the post.

Although Silva was denied by the woodwork in stoppage time, City's second came just four minutes into the second half. From a corner, the ball bounced off striker Edin Dzeko, and the unmarked Kompany swept in City's 102nd league goal this season from close range.

The captain slid across the pitch in celebration, and the party truly started in the stadium. Unlike the rollercoaster season finale against Queens Park Rangers here two years ago, it was job done for City.

AMMAN –– Former Old Trafford and England captain Bryan Robson believes that Manchester United will be back to winning ways next year.

In an exclusive interview with The Jordan Times on Sunday, Robson said he was sure that his former team, with a new manager in place — “whoever that maybe” — and some of the "exciting" youngsters coming through the ranks, will be in a position to win titles again next season.  

"The history and success of the club demands it," said Robson, who played for the Red Devils between 1981 and 1994.

Commenting on Manchester City's Sunday achievement after they cruised to their second Premier League title in three years, Robson said the Citizens deserved the title. 

"They have some great players and have put a lot of investment behind the club — at the end of the day, the table never lies and they are deserved winners," said the former England midfielder, who is in Jordan to take part in the Soccerex Asian Forum that will be held on the eastern shore of the Dead Sea on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The forum, which will bring together a host of football legends and leading football and business figures, will be held in partnership with the Asian Football Development Project –– an Amman-based non-profit youth commission that was founded by HRH Prince Ali, FIFA vice president and president of the Jordan Football Association.   

Serving as an ambassador for Soccerex, Robson said he was invited by Prince Ali to be part of the Soccerex Asian Forum. 

“Jordan is a place I have never been before but somewhere I have heard a lot about and the sheer beauty of the Dead Sea attracted me to this new and exciting experience. I am looking forward to participating in yet another Soccerex, in a brand new territory and also to the Jordanian hospitality I have heard so much about," he added.

"Doing it in Jordan by the beautiful Dead Sea and opening the gateway to Asia will be a big thrill to me."

Robson indicated that he will be appearing at Soccerex not only to discuss Manchester and the Premier League but also to preview the forthcoming World Cup alongside football legends Ossie Ardiles and Louis Saha.

AMMAN –– Two new football pitches at Mafraq’s Hay Olimat School for Girls and Sareeh Club were inaugurated today. The pitches are two of eight Norway Football Fields constructed or renovated in northern Jordan, host to the largest number of Syrian refugees in the Kingdom. Supported by the government of Norway and the Football Association of Norway (NFF), the Norway football fields are implemented in cooperation with the Jordan Football Association (JFA) and the Ministry of Education. In two consecutive ceremonies, the Sareeh Club and Mafraq school football fields were inaugurated by HRH Prince Ali, JFA president and FIFA Vice President and Mohammad Thneibat, Minister of Education, according to a statement issued by the office of Prince Ali. Representing Norway at both launches was Per Omdal, honourary president, of NFF. “We are very appreciative to our colleagues and friends from Norway for their generous support in building and restoring football pitches in northern Jordan,” Prince Ali said. The other Norway football fields include two in the newly opened Azraq Refugee Camp, one in Ramtha, two in the Zaatari Refugee Camp (inaugurated in November 2013) and another field in the Mafraq School for Boys, which is expected to be ready in June, said the statement.

MADRID — Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino called on his team Saturday to take advantage of its opportunity to turn a disastrous season into a winning one by securing an unlikely Spanish league title.

Barcelona trail Atletico Madrid by three points with two games to play but can retain their crown by winning both games since theyhost the leader on the final day.

A week after a 2-2 draw to Getafe left Barcelona ruing a late-season collapse and staring at a season without silverware, Barcelona remain in the hunt thanks to Atletico’s defeat last weekend.

“From the best team in Europe to a disastrous one, we still have the same possibilities of winning a title. We don’t necessarily need to be the best version of Barcelona but [we need] to win these last two games,” Martino said Saturday.

“We’ve got a unique opportunity, but you’ve got to respond on the field. We have maximum expectations but what we manage to achieve is something else altogether.”

Barcelona will be without striker Neymar and defenders Gerard Pique and Jordi Alba at Elche on Sunday, when Atletico host Malaga.

Martino did not speculate about his future after sport director Andoni Zubizarreta met with Celta Vigo coach and former Barcelona player Luis Enrique midweek.

However, the Argentine sounded like a coach counting down his days.

“No specific result will modify my future,” said Martino, who signed a two-year deal before the start of this season. “Even if we win the league, it doesn’t necessarily mean I’ve done a good job.”

As for Enrique, Martino said Barcelona “haven’t done anything wrong, they have nothing to apologise about”.

Atletico, meanwhile, could have striker Diego Costa against Malaga after the Brazilian-born, Spain forward appeared to be recovering from a hamstring injury. Atletico coach Diego Simeone said Costa’s availability would be a game-time decision, as the club tries to secure its first league trophy in 18 years.

“We don’t feel pressure, but a responsibility. This is a fantastic moment we find ourselves in,” Simeone said Saturday. “You live in the football world to reach moments such as these.”

Atletico will clinch the title at their Vicente Calderon Stadium with a victory should Barcelona fail to win their game, or a single point should Barcelona lose.

“Our destiny will be marked by what lies ahead,” Simeone said. “We’ll try to do our best. We’ll go for the victory. We need to do what we need to do.”

LIVERPOOL –– The Premier League title appears to have slipped through Liverpool's fingers but manager Brendan Rodgers is satisfied with the spirited campaign of a team he insists will return stronger next season.

The Reds exceeded expectations to come tantalisingly close to ending their agonising 24-year title wait but defeats by Chelsea and draw at Crystal Palace in their last two games have dealt body blow to their hopes.

They must now beat Newcastle United on Sunday and pray title favourite Manchester City lose at home to West Ham United.

Far from regretting how the title charge has rather fizzled out over the final stages, a satisfied Rodgers vowed his team would return stronger.

"This is only the beginning for us," the northern Irishman told the Liverpool Echo newspaper.

"This season isn't a one-off. I think there is an easy gauge on that. You only have to look at our progress.

"This will be arguably the best run at a title the club has had for 24 years. Steven Gerrard is 33 years of age and this is the closest he has got to winning it. This is his first real sample of a title run-in and he will be even better next season.

"Think of the experiences these players will have had. Just think what Raheem Sterling is going to be like, what Jon Flanagan is going to be like, Jordan Henderson, Joe Allen, Philippe Coutinho...

"These are all young players. We are going to improve. Of course, I would expect the other teams to spend and improve but we will get better as well."

Back in the Champions League for the first time since 2009, some fans fear Liverpool's relatively thin squad might be stretched next season but Rodgers was unperturbed.

"History shows you it can be difficult juggling the different competitions but being back in the Champions League is something we will relish. 

"We have shown the significance of our development this season and we will be able to reinforce with quality in the summer. That will push us on again. 

"The supporters have been allowed to dream this year and they will be able to continue doing that because we are going to get better."

His sunny optimism notwithstanding, Rodgers conceded feeling shattered after Liverpool squandered a three-goal advantage in Monday's draw at Selhurst Park.

"I probably felt the lowest I've ever felt in all my time working in football," the 41-year-old said.

"It was awful. You saw the emotion of the supporters after and it was pretty much the same in the dressing room. 

"At 3-0, we were so comfortable but we lost our concentration and in the modern game momentum can change fast."

AMMAN  ––  Jordan stayed at 64th place in the latest FIFA rankings issued on Thursday. The Kingdom, which qualified to the Asian Cup 2015, is now sixth among Asian teams led by Iran, who held on the top Asian spot at 37th, followed by Japan (47th), Uzbekistan (53rd), South Korea (55th), Australia (59th), Jordan (64th), the UAE (67th), Saudi Arabia (75th), Oman (82nd) and Qatar (95th). FIFA top 10 rankings remained relatively unchanged led by Spain, followed by Germany, Portugal, Brazil, Columbia, Uruguay, Argentina, Switzerland, Italy and Greece. Jordan is slated to play Colombia in Buenos Aires on June 6 in preparation for the 2015 Asian Football Confederation’s Asian Cup in Australia. 

ROME — Juventus’ clash with AS Roma was set to be Sunday night’s Serie A showcase but neither club knows what time the match will start as the fallout from last Saturday’s Italian Cup final chaos continues.

Antonio Conte’s Juventus travel to the Italian capital flush with the success from their third straight league title, which was handed to them before Monday night’s 1-0 win against Atalanta after Roma collapsed 4-1 at Catania on Sunday.

The match was due to kick off at 1845 GMT but is now set to be moved forward following the outbreak of violence before the Italian Cup final, in which three Napoli fans were shot at following clashes in the Tor Di Quinto area of the city.

The ministry of the interior is worried about the prospect of revenge attacks on Roma fans from Napoli supporters, who will be returning south from their dead rubber match with Sampdoria.

Napoli, who sealed third place and a Champions League play-off spot with a 3-0 win over Cagliari on Tuesday, will play two matches behind closed doors for a number of offences carried out by fans last Saturday, including a pitch invasion, throwing of flares and smoke bombs and booing the national anthem.

The match kicked off 45 minutes late as false rumours of the death of a Napoli fan circulated and the sight of the organisers holding discussions with “ultra” leaders has sparked soul-searching around the violence that continues to blight the game in Italy.

“It’s not possible that a sporting event becomes an almost event of war,” said Interior Minister Angelino Alfano.

“We decided with [Prime Minister Matteo] Renzi  to intervene at the end of the season when we will choose the new measures to come into force for the new season.”

Striker Mattia Destro returns for Roma after serving a three-match ban for hitting Cagliari defender Davide Astori last month.

With Giuseppe Rossi scoring in his first league game since January in Fiorentina’s 4-3 defeat to relegation-threatened Sassuolo on Tuesday, Destro will be keen to use the final two games of the season to impress Italy coach Cesare Prandelli ahead of the World Cup in Brazil.

While Sunday’s clash makes no difference to league placing, both clubs look towards the close season with some doubts lingering over the future with Conte refusing to commit himself to Juventus and Roma working on the final touches to a new long-term contract for Paris Saint-Germain target Miralem Pjanic.

“Miralem is a remarkable talent and there has never been any question about him leaving... he knows how very important he is to me in my midfield,” Roma coach Rudi Garcia told French magazine Surface.

“What matters is that we can offer him a project that matches his talent and there are all the elements in place to make him stay.”

With the title and Champions League spots wrapped up, all that remains to be decided are the Europa League and relegation place, with six teams fighting for European football and five scrambling for Serie A safety.

AMMAN ––  Wihdat  top the pack going into Week 19 of the 62nd Jordan Professional League kicking off on Thursday. The leaders  defeated Arabi 2-1 as closest rivals Faisali beat Shabab Urdun 4-3 to remain second, while That Ras held holders Shabab Urdun 1-1 in a postponed match before beating bottom-placed Sheikh Hussein 2-0 to climb to third. Wihdat will play Shabab Urdun, Faisali meet Jazira while That Ras play Baqaa this week.  Jazira  are now fourth after a 6-2 drubbing of Ramtha, who dropped to sixth. Baqaa dropped to fifth after losing to Hussein Irbid 3-1. Hussein Irbid next play Arabi while Manshieh play Shiekh Hussein.

AMMAN –– Jordan will play Colombia in Buenos Aires on June 6 in preparation for the 2015 Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) Asian Cup in Australia. 

Jordan Football Association Vice President Salah Sabara said that the association had contacted 24 football federations including Colombia asking them to play friendlies.

The Kingdom was drawn in Group D which includes Japan, Iraq and the winner of the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup.

"We will start high-quality friendly matches to have the national team well prepared for the Asian Cup," Sabra told The Jordan Times over the phone Wednesday. 

Colombia, who is waiting on the recovery of top striker Radamel Falcao, face Greece, Ivory Coast and Japan in Group C at the World Cup in Brazil, which begins on June 12, Reuters reported.

Match against Jordan is one of the friendlies Colombia will hold in preparation for the World Cup.  

Colombia will also play World Cup warm-up matches against Senegal in Buenos Aires, home city of their Argentine coach Jose Pekerman, the Colombian Football Federation said on Tuesday.