Sevilla appeals to its European mystique to liquidate United
Those of Mendilibar take refuge in their solidity in the Sánchez-Pizjuán to continue making history in Europe against some diminished ‘Red Devils’
MADRID, 19 Abr. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Sevilla receives this Thursday (9:00 p.m.) Manchester United in the second leg of the Europa League quarterfinals, a duel that those from Nervión, always hand in hand with their tradition and mystique in a competition that they have always raised when they reached the semifinals, they arrive with many options to liquidate an English team depleted by significant casualties, although the ‘executioner’ of Spanish football in this edition.
The people of Seville left Old Trafford with a lot of life last Thursday, after drawing (2-2) with two own goals from the ‘Red Devils’ in the last five minutes, which threw away all the good work done up to the final stretch of the match. Erik ten Hag’s men overwhelmed Sevilla from the start, with a brace from Sabitzer in the first 20 minutes, but relaxation and misfortune gave Sevilla fans wings.
Without giving up, José Luis Mendilibar’s men, undefeated since he sat on the Sevillian bench (2 wins and 2 draws), built another exercise in character at the continental level to continue dreaming of being in Europe next year. And they will do so under the protection of their fetish competition with six gimped, the last in 2020, where Sevilla feel comfortable, even on the wire, aware of their weight and hierarchy in the Europa League.
With Mendilibar, the team has been plugged in again, especially at the offensive level, with an average of two goals per game in the four games led by the Basque coach. The one from Zaldibar is squeezing the qualities of a young team that has recovered its hunger, also improved by its moral recovery, and less concerned about the league relegation.
And it is that Sevilla, which is already thirteenth with 35 points, caught a lot of air in the last victory (0-2), not without controversy, against Valencia, linking for the first time this season in the League two consecutive victories at home. Mendilibar made up to eight changes in the eleven that jumped to Mestalla compared to Old Trafford, a formula that worked for him and allowed him to dose efforts. The sevillistas are aware that the last big bullet to be in Europe next year is to win the Europa League.
For this reason, the atmosphere of the magical nights at the Sánchez-Pizjuán should play a crucial role in pushing a team that does believe in its potential. The Sevillians caress their first semifinal since the one played in 2019-2020, in which they precisely beat United (2-1) in a single-match tie. And it is that whenever they have stepped on the semis they have been proclaimed champions of the Europa League.
Mendilibar, who will not be able to count on Joan Jordán due to injury or Gonzalo Montiel due to suspension, made it clear in the preview that it will not be “easy” to ‘kill’ the ‘Red Devils’. “What’s more, we see it as very complicated. The fans are going to help you, but on the field it’s 11 against 11 and they are veterans in these competitions. There will be no overconfidence from either the footballers or the fans,” he warned.
A UNITED FULL OF CASES AGAINST THE HISTORY OF SEVILLA
Focused on countering the magic and mystique that Sevilla enjoys in this competition, Manchester United must win at Sánchez-Pizjuán with a long list of casualties that include McTominay, Garnacho and Van de Beek, as well as Lisandro Martínez and Varane, injured in the first leg against the Seville team.
However, Erik ten Hag has included Rashford in the call-up, who missed the first leg and is the author of 28 goals this season. The forward seems not to be one hundred percent, but given the price of the loot that is at stake, the Dutch coach could make use of his most dangerous weapon. Shaw, Sabitzer and Malacia are also part of the English expedition.
Those from Ten Han also won their domestic commitment this weekend, when they beat Nottingham Forest 0-2, to get a run for the complicated duel that awaits them in Seville. Correcting the disconnections at the back, despite the insecure pairing of Maguire-Lindelof central defenders, will be key to trying to break the spirit of the people from Seville.
The 2017 Europa League champion and 2021 finalist of the competition is unbeaten in Europe since their home loss against Real Sociedad on matchday one in the group stage. In addition, he has already left FC Barcelona and Real Betis down the road, becoming the ‘scourge’ of the LaLiga teams. They are 90 minutes away from extending their status as Spanish ‘executioner’, with their fourth Europa League semifinal in seven seasons between eyebrows.
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Multimedia content (graphics):
Previous statistics Sevilla FC vs Manchester United (round 1/4 Final Europa League)
https://www.epdata.es/estadisticas-previa-sevilla-fc-vs-manc…
DATASHEET.
–POSSIBLE ALIGNMENTS:
SEVILLE: Bond; Jesus Navas, Bade, Marcao, Acuña; Ferdinand, Rakitic, Gudelj; Ocampos, En-Nesyri and Bryan Gil.
MANCHESTER UNITED: De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Lindelof, Malaysia; Casemiro, Sabitzer, Eriksen; Antony, Martial and Sancho.
–REFEREE: Artur Soares Dias (POR).
–STADIUM: Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán.
–TIME: 9:00 p.m./Movistar Champions League.