Undecided Manchester United are out of the Europa League with a 3-0 defeat at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium which saw Sevilla book their place in the semi-finals with a thumbing 5-2 aggregate victory.
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United threw away a two-goal first-leg advantage at Old Trafford with two own goals last week. However, Erik ten Hag’s side imploded in Spain and saw their European hopes evaporate on a tough night.
Manchester United have won none of their five games against Sevilla in major European competition (D2 L3), the most they’ve faced a side without ever winning in their European history.
Harry Maguire’s early error gifted Youssef En-Nesyri with a seventh-minute opener, setting the tone for the home team, Sevilla netted the second after the break when Loic Bade’s header looped in off the bar and was then compounded by David De Gea’s howler gifting En-Nesyri his second.
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The defeat has characterised Ten Hag’s debut season, and the worse possible preparation for Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final against Brighton at Wembley, where United’s remaining hopes of winning silverware now rest.
Sevilla’s emphatic victory saw United bow out of Europe to Spanish opposition for the sixth successive season and sealed the six-time winners’ progress through to a semi-final against Juventus, who beat Sporting 2-1 in their quarter-final.
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Man Utd manager Erik Ten Hag told BT Sport:
“It’s clear when you make such mistakes it’s very difficult to win a football match. The fans can expect us to deal with it [the atmosphere], so I will not say that is an explanation for it [the defeat]. We have to do better, that is the demand.
“We were not composed; we were not calm. We made bad decisions; we lost battles, and they had more passion and desire and willingness. Then it’s difficult to win football games. This is a problem; we cannot run away from it.
“It’s not about them [the absent players], it’s about the players on the pitch, they have to perform. I believe in them; I trust them and then they have to show. But today, we were not good enough.
“We were not ready for the game and that cannot be. When you play for Manchester United you have to be ready for every game, especially on this great occasion in a quarter-final in Europe. We have to blame ourselves.”
Since the competition’s rebranding in 2009-10, Sevilla has made the semi-final of the UEFA Europa League on more occasions than any other side (5). On the previous four occasions, they’ve reached the semi-finals they’ve gone on to win the competition (2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16 & 2019-20).
For a sixth successive season, Manchester United have been eliminated from a European knockout tie by Spanish opposition – with three of those coming against Sevilla (2017-18, 2019-20 & 2022-23).
This is the first time Manchester United have been eliminated at the quarter-final stages of the UEFA Europa League, having progressed from each of their three such ties before today.
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UEFA Europa League Results
AS Roma 4-1 Feyenoord
Royale Union SG 1-4 Bayern Leverkusen
Sevilla 3-0 Manchester United
Sporting CP 1-1 Juventus
