Sevilla beat Manchester United to meet Juventus in Europa League semifinals
Sevilla FC defeated Manchester United (3-0) on Thursday in the second leg of the Europa League quarterfinals held at a euphoric and full Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán, another step in the legend of the six-time champion of the competition, which will face Juventus for a place in its seventh final. The Spanish side ate up the English side with the atmosphere in Nervión and with the staging of play, commitment and goals. A mistake by Maguire led to En Nesyri’s 1-0 lead after eight minutes, while Badé doubled the lead shortly after the restart with a shoulder shot that hit the crossbar and slipped into David de Gea’s net. The Spanish goalkeeper also gave away the third to the Moroccan, the English side having been outplayed since the warning at Old Trafford.
United could do little
United, with as many as five absentees from their usual XI, were swallowed up by the continental mystique of a Sevilla side that is making the Europa League its own, as it did in the final stretch in Manchester to make it 2-2 out of nothing. José Luis Mendilibar, who has been in the Andalusian dugout for the past month, has provided the weapons to revive a team that bites up front, makes the most of its chances and is strong at the back. The home side, spurred on by the atmosphere of the big nights, piled on the pressure and reaped the rewards against Maguire. The England international found himself surrounded and En Nesyri made the most of the one-on-one with De Gea (1-0). Ten Hag’s side took 20 minutes to come back to life, with good runs from Antony and a few from Sancho to compensate for the absence of a mastermind like Bruno Fernandez, but no finish.
Sevilla was in control
Despite Marcao’s injury, Sevilla knew how to control and defend when they had the chance to make it 2-0 before the break. The duel became, with that goal by Ocampos that was annulled by millimeters, a back and forth that reignited the Pizjuán. The ‘Mendi’ team had the upper hand and showed its strength two minutes into the second half with Badé’s shot. From a corner kick taken by Rakitic, who had been marshaling throughout the match, the French defender’s parabolic shoulder shot sent the Pizjuán into a frenzy (2-0). Ten Hag had already brought on the injured Rashford after the changing rooms, but the English venture seemed impossible in terms of play and feeling.
Mendilibar’s great debut in Europe
Mendi’ wanted more control, but the heart went out of a Sevilla side that kept pressing and looking for the third. Weghorst was Ten Hag’s other option, but the home side outshone a United side with much less faith. The ‘red devil’ defense took it out of the goalmouth, Navas stopped Rashford and, in another attack, came the 3-0 from En Nesyri after a serious mistake by De Gea 10 minutes from the end.
Sevilla awaits Juventus
Juventus, another great team that will have to pass through the Pizjuán, can take notice. Sevilla, in a year of hardship, are not giving up on their legend. The Mendilibar effect can be seen in domestic competition, finally emerging from the bottom of the table, and in the Europa League, the club is back to its best, as favorite for a seventh title.
