Manchester United will return to UEFA Europe League action at Old Trafford this evening as they welcome Sevilla for the quarter final first leg. This is the fourth time this season that United have met Spanish opposition in the Europa League. Real Sociedad were placed in United’s group with United losing the first match 1-0 but winning the second 1-0. Barcelona were the next Spanish club, drawing 2-2 in the first leg of the play off, winning the second leg 2-1.
United were then drawn against Real Betis, beating them 4-1 in the first leg and 1-0 in the second. United have met Sevilla three times before and have never beaten them in a competitive match. Back in 2017/18 season United met them in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 – drawing 0-0 in the first leg, losing 2-1 in the second. Back in 2020, United met them in the Europa League semi final, losing 2-1 and exiting the competition at that stage.
United have returned to winning ways following their 2-0 defeat to Newcastle United in the Premier League the weekend before last, beating Brentford 1-0 and Everton 2-0 in the last two matches before seeking to beat Sevilla for the first time. Sevilla are six-time winners of the Europa League but their LaLiga form has been terrible this season. However, that will need to be discounted in the Europa League as they have achieved what United have so far. Erik ten Hag will want to win this.
Manchester United
De Gea;
Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Martinez, Malacia;
Casemiro, Sabitzer;
Antony, Fernandes, Sancho;
Martial
Substitutes
Butland, Vitek; Lindelof, Maguire, Dalot; Eriksen, Fred, Iqbal; Weghorst, Pellistri, Elanga
Sevilla
Bounou;
Montiel, Nianzou, Marcao, Acuna;
Fernando, Gudelj;
Ocampos, Rakitic, Torres;
Lamela
Substitutes
Dimtrovic, Flores, Telles, Rekik, Suso, Mir, En-Nesyri, Navas, Gomez, Gil, Bade
United and Sevilla have met three times competitively in the history of both clubs. They both met in the UEFA Champions League at the round of 16 stage in the 2017/18 season with them drawing 0-0 in the first leg which was played at the Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán. However, United fell to a 2-1 defeat with Wissam Ben Yedder scoring a brace in the 74th and 78th minutes of the match and Romelu Lukaku scoring what became a consolation goal in the 84th minute.
United and Sevilla then met in the UEFA Europa League at the semi final stage in the 2019/20 season which was delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic. The two sides met at the RheinEnergie Stadion in Cologne in August 2020. United fell to a 2-1 defeat again. Bruno Fernandes scored a ninth minute penalty to put United ahead but in the 26th minute, Ronnie Fernández equalised for Sevilla. Luuk de Jong then scored the winner in the 78th minute to send United home.
Adnan Januzaj and Alex Telles are currently Sevilla players although Januazaj is on loan at Istanbul Basaksehir and Telles is on loan from United. Anthony Martial was loaned to the club last season and Javier Hernandez left West Ham United for Sevilla. Januzaj has played six times for Sevilla. Telles has made 29 appearances, getting three assists. Martial made 12 appearances, scoring one goal and one assist and Chicharito made 13 appearances scoring three goals.
Written by John Walker
