Sevilla faces its history against the ‘executioner’ United
The people of Seville seek to bring the Europa League semifinals closer in an impassable Old Trafford in the first major test of Mendilibar
MADRID, 12 Abr. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Sevilla visits Manchester United this Thursday (9:00 p.m.) in the first leg of the Europa League quarterfinals, a duel in which those from Nervión will try to assert their idyll with a competition they have won six times to give themselves finally a happiness as necessary as it is urgent, while the ‘Red Devils’, without Marcus Rashford, will want to extend their status as ‘executioner’ of Spanish teams, after already ‘killing’ FC Barcelona and Real Betis.
After the dismissal of Jorge Sampaoli at the end of March, the waters seem to be calming down in Seville thanks to José Luis Mendilibar. Undoubtedly in his model and style, the Basque coach managed from the first minute to provide the Seville squad with the freshness that this final stretch of the season demands. In fact, his debut on the bench resulted in a win (0-2) against Cádiz.
However, on the last day they could not get past a draw (2-2) at home against Celta, a duel in which, despite being a team with a recognizable identity, victory escaped them in the last minutes due to disconnections that they cannot appear at Old Trafford to return to Seville alive.
But the illusion of the Sevilla team, which has already left PSV and Fenerbahce in the play-offs and round of 16, respectively, not without suffering, is maximum to face another tie in which the objective will be to confirm its change of face and New way. Thus, in Nervión they hope that the game in Manchester will be a turning point in their irregular season, to gain momentum for the final stretch of the season in which a lot is played at a domestic level.
Although they have taken flight in recent weeks, Sevilla is thirteenth in LaLiga Santander, only five points above a relegation that seems to be a latent threat this season. With this constant fear of burning, the Europa League seems like the burning nail to cling to, with more than enough arguments to believe in reconstruction. And it is that he is the king of the competition with six wounds, in addition to only having lost 3 of his 25 qualifiers in the tournament.
Sevilla travel to Old Trafford to face the top favorite to lift the trophy with Joan Jordán and ‘Tecatico’ Corona absent due to injury, as well as the absence of Pape Gueye, without a European record, for which Lucas Ocampos enters. Mendilibar’s goalkeeper has been, up to now, Dmitrovic, while in defense, Marcao could already have minutes along with Badé in the axis. With Fernando recovered, his companion on the double pivot is unknown, with Gudelj better placed.
In the offensive zone, Mendilibar, who is facing his first continental match as coach, will have multiple options with Bryan Gil, Lamela, Suso, Rakitic and Ocampos fighting for three places. There will be no doubts in the ‘nine’ from Seville, reserved for En-Nesyri, author of 12 goals in 2023, scorer in the two games led by Zaldibar’s.
THE IMPROVED VERSION OF UNITED THAT SCARES LESS WITHOUT RASHFORD
The Sevilla players, who have won just one of their last eight games away from home and have lost four away defeats in the Europa League, travel to the only stadium where they have won in England, in the Champions League round of 16 in 2018. They have never lost against the ‘Red Devils’, but their dynamics against Spanish teams this season is outstanding, since they were the ‘executioner’ of FC Barcelona and Real Betis in the competition.
And it is that the English have completely forgotten the capsizing at the end of 2022, cementing their new and improved version on their performance at Old Trafford. The ‘Red Devils’ will make the most of their local status in the first leg against Sevilla, after they arrive at the match after 24 unbeaten games at home, without losing since October, when they lost to Real Sociedad in the group stage.
The people from San Sebastian, as well as Barça and Betis, have already suffered from a lively and fresh team, which does not need to feel in control of the game to deal damaging blows to its rivals. Fourth in the Premier, with only one defeat in the last seven games, they boast a squad full of quality, verticality and speed, in which Bruno Fernandes is the great exponent, with 9 goals and 8 assists in his 24 games with the club in the continental competition.
The Portuguese will not have his great partner at the top, Marcus Rashford, author of 28 goals and 8 assists this season and who will surely miss the entire tie due to muscle problems. Garnacho and Shaw will not be available either, as they have not completed their recovery processes on time.
As confirmed by Erik Ten Hag, Martial will be his ‘nine’ against Sevilla, flanked by Antony and Sancho on the flanks, and the Casemiro-Eriksen-Fernandes trinomial in midfield.
DATASHEET.
–POSSIBLE ALIGNMENTS:
MANCHESTER UNITED: De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Lisandro Martínez, Malacia; Casemiro, Eriksen, Antony, Bruno Fernandes, Sancho; martial.
SEVILLE: Dmitrovic; Montiel, Badé, Marcao, Acuña; Fernando, Gudelj, Ocampos, Rakitic, Bryan Gil; In-Nesyri.
–REFEREE: Felix Zwayer (ALE).
–ESTADIO: Old Trafford.
–TIME: 9:00 p.m./Movistar Champions League.