Sevilla will have the chance to win a third successive Europa League crown in Basel later this month after beating Shakhtar Donetsk 5-3 on aggregate in the semi-finals of the competition on Thursday night.
The Spanish giants picked up a 2-2 draw in the first leg of their semi-final in Ukraine and completed the task on home soil after a brace from Kevin Gameiro and a long-range Mariano Ferreira effort secured a 3-1 win on the night.
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Michael Krohn-Dehli and Jose Antonio Reyes were both unavailable for Sevilla and head coach Unai Emery sprung a surprise in his team selection when he named both Coke and Mariano in his starting XI.
It was Coke that operated just ahead of Mariano down the right, while Gameiro, after netting a late penalty in the first leg, was picked to lead the line ahead of Fernando Llorente.
As for Shakhtar, former Arsenal striker Eduardo came into the team at centre-forward after scoring twice against Dynamo Kiev in their league match at the weekend. Marlos and Taison both joined the Croatian in the final third, with Brazilian trio Wellington Nem, Dentinho and Bernard named on the bench.
A tight opening five minutes saw both teams enjoy possession of the ball, but Sevilla made the breakthrough in the ninth minute when Gameiro took advantage of a slip from Maksym Malyshev before driving into the box and beating Andriy Pyatov down low.
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Shakhtar continued to enjoy possession despite their problems at the back, but it was Sevilla that had the game's second attempt on target. It came from Adil Rami after a wicked corner from Ever Banega, but Pyatov was down to make the stop.
Shakhtar's first strike of any sort came in the 25th minute when Ismaily met a short corner from Taison, who became a growing influence for the visitors, but the 26-year-old's effort was always moving wide of the post.
Taison had a shooting chance of his own in the 31st minute after smart build-up down the left, but the Brazilian's effort was always moving wide of the post as Sevilla kept their one-goal advantage intact.
Sevilla had a difficult spell five minutes before the break when Shakhtar continued to deliver from wide positions, but Steven N'Zonzi and Grzegorz Krychowiak both made vital blocks on efforts from Taison and Malyshev.
Krychowiak came close to doubling Sevilla's lead when he met a deep free kick from Banega in the 43rd minute, but the midfielder's header just missed the crossbar.
Shakhtar managed to level the scores in the 44th minute of action, however, when Marlos played a pass into Eduardo and the experienced striker placed the ball past David Soria from close range.
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Shakhtar came close to a second early after the restart when Viktor Kovalenko found space inside the Sevilla box, but the attacker could only find the arms of Soria and his team were punished moments later.
Sevilla's second once again came from Gameiro as the Frenchman collected a fine pass from Krychowiak before rounding Pyatov and sliding the ball home from close range in the 47th minute.
Krychowiak tried his luck from distance moments later as Sevilla looked to take the game away from the Ukrainian side, but Pyatov made a smart stop, before Banega fired a low strike wide of the post in the 54th minute.
Gameiro missed the chance to score a third for Sevilla just before the hour when his overhead kick flew over the crossbar, but the home side found the back of the net moments later when Mariano's long-range drive beat Pyatov in the Shakhtar net.
Banega's influence continued to grow and the Argentine set up Krychowiak in the 69th minute as Sevilla came close to a fourth, but the midfielder's header just missed the post.
Eduardo should have scored a second for the visitors in the 72nd minute when he met a cross from Marlos, but the striker's header just dropped wide of Soria's post, with the goalkeeper all but beaten.
Sevilla should have had a penalty 10 minutes from time when Yaroslav Rakitskiy felled Gameiro inside the box, but the referee was not interested as it remained 3-1 entering the latter stages in Seville.
Shakhtar, needing two goals to turn the tie in their favour, pressed forward late on, but it was comfortable for Sevilla, who will meet Liverpool in the final of the competition on May 18 in Basel.
Matt Law
