Final score: Benfica 0 Sevilla 0 (Sevilla won 4-2 on penalties)

THE curse of Bela Guttman returned to haunt Benfica as Sevilla won a penalty shootout to beat the Portuguese giants to the Europa League trophy in Turin.

The Hungarian coach declared Benfica would never win another European final when being denied a pay-rise and leaving the club having delivered back-to-back European Cups in 1961 and 1962.

Over the intervening 52 years, Benfica had since fallen short in the final on seven occasions, most recently conceding a late goal to Chelsea in Amsterdam to concede the 2013 Europa League crown.

Last night they could not be separated from Sevilla - UEFA Cup winners in 2006 and 2007 - over 120 minutes, and penalty misses from Oscar Cardozo and Rodrigo allowed substitute Kevin Gameiro to prolong their agony as Guttman’s fateful words rang around the Juventus Stadium.

Sevilla had most of the ball early on and might have scored through Carlos Bacca in the ninth minute.

The Colombian raced into the box to keep up with a swift counter-attack but, after coming up just short on Ivan Rakitic’s low cross from the left, he was in fact ahead of the move and ruled offside.

Sevilla’s Portuguese goalkeeper Beto got his first feel of the ball as Nicolas Gaitan’s free-kick dipped towards the far post and he had to think quickly to repel Ezequiel Garay on the rebound.

Rakitic looked determined to make something happen and his passes and runs rattled Benfica’s backline.

Alberto Moreno was, however, the first Sevilla player to truly test Jan Oblak, his drive from outside the box forcing the Slovenian stopper off his line.

It was Benfica who dominated before the break.

Sevilla were first caught unaware as Maxi Pereira loped into the box to fire straight at Beto and were rather lucky to avoid conceding a penalty when Federico Fazio climbed all over the well-placed Gaitan.

Los Rojiblancos broke back and Jose Reyes could have tucked Rakitic’s dinked pass away had Luisao not sent the ball spinning wide.

Extra-time seemed increasingly inevitable and, just after Garay’s desperate swing at a loose ball from the D spooned over the bar, the final whistle sounded.

It looked like the crowd would finally be treated to a goal when Bacca streaked down the right wing to collect Rakitic’s pass, but his drive fizzed past the far post.

In the shootout, Lima and Bacca netted before Cardozo’s stuttering run-up saw him clip straight at Beto.

Stephane Mbia powered home and Sevilla were on the verge of claiming the trophy when Rodrigo was denied.

Coke scored, Luisao kept Benfica alive for a few seconds longer, but substitute Gameiro was soon wheeling away in celebration.