Perhaps some teams would use the UEFA Super Cup as the last important friendly match before the season, but Twain would not do that. This was different from participation in friendlies like the Russian Railways Cup and the Amsterdam Tournament. Twain took the championship title seriously. Otherwise, he would not have fought that big war of words against Liverpool before the game.
Moreover, Liverpool's Benítez would not think that it was nothing more than a slightly important friendly. He made the most detailed arrangements for this game.
The UEFA had stated that it was "the opening battle of the new season's UEFA Europa League."
However, it turned into an English civil war, which was kind of boring. Sevilla failed through a lack of a final effort in the UEFA Europa League final and was reversed by Steven Gerrard's score of a crucial goal at the final moment.
Benítez's team seemed to be particularly good at reversals.
