The Europa League quarter-finals are underway, and Manchester United are facing Sevilla in a highly anticipated clash at Old Trafford. Despite the absence of their top scorer in the competition, Marcus Rashford, who has scored six goals so far, United will be looking to continue their strong form in the competition. They finished top of their group with 13 points, winning four and drawing one of their six matches. Sevilla, on the other hand, have struggled in the La Liga this season, currently sitting in 6th place with 54 points, 13 points adrift of the top four. However, they have a rich history in the Europa League, having won the competition a record six times, including three times in a row from 2014-2016. The first leg of the quarter-final promises to be a tight affair, with both sides evenly matched in terms of quality. United will be looking for inspiration from the likes of Bruno Fernandes, who has been a key player for them since his arrival from Sporting CP in the January transfer window, and Paul Pogba, who has recently returned from a long injury layoff. Sevilla will be relying on their experienced players, including Ever Banega, who has been in fine form this season, as well as Lucas Ocampos and Youssef En-Nesyri, who have both scored crucial goals in the competition so far. The match is set to be a tactical battle, with both managers, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Julen Lopetegui, known for their astute tactical acumen. Solskjaer will be looking to continue his impressive record against top sides, having recently beaten Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League. Lopetegui, meanwhile, will be hoping to lead Sevilla to another triumph in the competition, as he did with Porto in the 2010-11 season. The two sides have faced each other twice before in European competition, with both matches coming in the round of 16 of the Champions League in the 2017-18 season. United emerged victorious on that occasion, winning 2-1 at Old Trafford before securing a goalless draw in the return leg at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium. However, United will be wary of Sevilla’s strong form in the Europa League this season, as they have only conceded three goals in their eight matches so far, while United have scored 18 goals in the same number of matches. The match promises to be a thrilling encounter between two European giants, with a place in the semi-finals at stake. The second leg will be played in Seville on April 21st. Update: Manchester United 1-1 Sevilla The first leg of the Europa League quarter-final ended in a 1-1 draw between Manchester United and Sevilla at Old Trafford. United took the lead through a Bruno Fernandes penalty in the 9th minute, but Sevilla equalized in the 26th minute through Suso. United started the match brightly and took the lead after Marcus Rashford was fouled in the box by Diego Carlos. Fernandes stepped up and confidently converted the penalty to give United the lead. Sevilla responded well and began to dominate possession, with Suso and Lucas Ocampos causing problems for United’s defense. They equalized through Suso, who fired the ball past David de Gea from outside the box after being set up by Ocampos. Both sides had chances to win the match in the second half, with United coming closest through a Harry Maguire header that hit the bar. Sevilla also had a chance through En-Nesyri, but his shot was saved by de Gea. The draw means that the tie is finely poised ahead of the second leg in Seville, and both sides will be confident of progressing to the semi-finals. United will be disappointed not to have secured a home win, but will take heart from their away form in the competition, having won all three of their away matches so far. Sevilla, meanwhile, will be pleased with their performance and will be looking to use their home advantage to secure a place in the last four. The second leg will take place on April 21st, and promises to be an exciting encounter between two top sides in Europe.
