THE self-proclaimed 'Small Town in Europe' last night etched their name on the continental football map. But it will be as UEFA Cup finalists, rather than UEFA Cup winners, that Middlesbrough will now be forever associated.

For a club fighting liquidation just 20 years ago to have reached such an historic showpiece deserves all the recognition in the world but last night, after their dream ended in the most devastating manner, the playing staff of Boro will wake up this morning scarred.

As in the two previous rounds, Middlesbrough were faced with having to overturn a three-goal lead but this time the task proved far too great.

A first-half header from Luis Fabiano set the tone for the evening in Eindhoven and, despite a gallant effort from the Teessiders, the most monumental game in the club's history got progressively worse.

After Mark Viduka had missed two glorious opportunities to level matters - he also had a blatant penalty claim rejected - at the end of the Philips Stadion where the thousands of Middlesbrough fans were sat, Sevilla ran out comfortable winners. Not so much a sour end to a memorable UEFA Cup run as a heartbreaking one.

Three goals inside the last 12 minutes - two from former West Brom midfielder Enzo Maresca and one from ex-Tottenham striker Frederic Kanoute - completed the victory and left the Boro heroes shocked, stunned and beaten.

It was the heaviest defeat recorded in a UEFA Cup final since 1986 and Middlesbrough's hopes of playing Barcelona or Arsenal in the Super Cup final in Monaco in August were shattered.

And it was the outstanding Javi Navarro, rather than Gareth Southgate, who has joined the likes of Lothar Matthaus, Roberto Baggio and Diego Maradona among the previous captains to have lifted this famous trophy.

Nevertheless, the lap of honour carried out by the Middlesbrough squad, as manager Steve McClaren also said his farewell, was a justified one. To have reached the final is a great achievement in itself.

'An incredible tale' was how UEFA president Lennart Johannson described Middlesbrough's heroics of the two previous rounds in his programme notes and they will never, ever be forgotten.

It was last night when the players from the North-East club had to make sure those incredible occasions were all worthwhile and the sight of the famous trophy being paraded around the turf before kick-off got the Middlesbrough fans in full song.

But this was just as historic for Sevilla as it was for their opponents. Neither side had ever reached a major European final before so the fact both were in uncharted territory added to the excitement in a stadium which was a sea of red and white.

Such was the enormity of the occasion, skipper Southgate took the opportunity immediately before the start to rally his team-mates, shaking everyone's hand in an attempt to lift them for one of the biggest games of their careers. In truth, this could well be the biggest they will ever have.

And if that is the case for the more experienced heads in the Middlesbrough camp, spare a thought for Darlington-born teenager James Morrison.

McClaren had toyed with the idea of handing Ray Parlour his third European final but in the end he opted for youth over experience. That meant, just 20 months after his senior debut, Morrison was charged with the responsibility of providing his side with the threat from the right.

But it was Sevilla's attacking verve down the left that caused Middlesbrough the problems in the opening moments. After a powerful shot from Daniel Alves flew wide of Mark Schwarzer's right post, Sevilla came within inches of sneaking the ball inside that particular piece of woodwork seconds later.

Fabiano broke free down the flank on two separate occasions within 90 seconds of one another and only Chris Riggott's alertness stopped Middlesbrough from falling behind.

In the first instance Fabiano watched Riggott stick a leg out to turn his cross from the by-line behind for a corner from inside his own six-yard box. Then the centre-back worked his way ahead of Javier Saviola in a similar position to do the same again when the opener looked on.

Schwarzer, wearing a mask to protect his fractured cheekbone, had thus far not been forced into a save, despite Sevilla enjoying the larger share of possession.

Conversely, midfielder Fabio Rochemback had stung the hands of goalkeeper Andres Palop with a powerfully-driven free-kick from 25 yards, the Sevilla defence doing well to mop up the rebound.

The domestic campaigns for both clubs could not be more contrasting. Sevilla are still in the hunt for claiming the fourth and final Champions League spot in the Primera Liga, while Middlesbrough finished in the lower reaches of the English top-flight.

It was easy to see who had enjoyed the better fortunes in their respective leagues in the opening half hour.

Fabiano's presence was a cause for concern and the South American fired an effort into the hands of Schwarzer from distance.

But there was very little the Australian could do about his next opportunity on goal. Alves, infuriatingly dirty in his attempts to keep Downing quiet, proved he also has ability on the ball to claim the assist.

The Brazilian made the most of space afforded to him on the right and delivered the perfect cross for fellow countryman Fabiano to rise ahead of Riggott in the box and head downwards in off Schwarzer's right post.

Those wearing white inside the stadium burst into song and dance, while those predominantly in red were reduced to silence. It could have been worse for them two minutes later but Jesus Navas fired his drive over from outside the area.

Defender Julien Escude went close with a diving header at the near post, when he met Jose Luis Marti's free-kick from the right, but Boro escaped and were able to hang on until half-time just a goal behind.

A late corner in the opening 45 minutes did revitalise a muted Teeside faithful but Morrison could only send the half chance that fell to him 18 yards out over Palop's crossbar.

Having beaten highly-fancied German outfit Schalke in the last four, Boro always knew Sevilla posed a threat that they had not faced in previous rounds and that proved the case.

If Middlesbrough stood any chance of turning things round on this occasion then more had to be done as an attacking force, making sure that Sevilla worried about them, rather than the other way around.

And McClaren, who had finished with four strikers on in each of the last two rounds, showed his boldness again by throwing Massimo Maccarone on for the second half, at the expense of Morrison.

The outcome was obvious. Middlesbrough had more attacking verve than they had before his introduction but there was also more space for Sevilla to exploit.

Navas' speed was Sevilla's weapon on the break. He broke from midfield and picked out the unmarked Adriano, who rolled the ball on to his right foot and curled a 22-yard shot with the inside of his boot just around Schwarzer's left post.

By far Middlesbrough's best chance fell to Viduka seven minutes after the break. Rochemback's long free-kick was headed down into the striker's path by Riggott and somehow the Aussie's shot from eight yards was saved by the feet of Palop.

Sevilla broke again through Navas. The Spaniard outpaced Southgate from inside his own half but Schwarzer was equal to the winger's shot. The end-to-end battle had begun.

Hasselbaink went close with a free-kick before Aiyegbeni Yakubu was introduced as a fourth attacker. Seconds after the Nigerian's appearance Alves forced Schwarzer into a save at his near post.

Viduka struck wide after a good move with Hasselbaink but the spaces opening up at the back for Boro cost them dear and Maresca made the most of them.

Fi rst he pounced in the six-yard box after Schwarzer's save from Frederic Kanoute's strike and then he sweetly struck a left-foot drive from 22 yards into Schwarzer's bottom corner.

By the time Kanoute slotted in the fourth the hopes and dreams of Boro supporters already lay in tatters.

Result: Middlesbrough 0, Sevilla 4.

Read more about Middlesbrough here.