Sevilla vs Manchester United Europa League preview: where to watch, team news

Manchester United meet Sevilla in the UEFA Europa League semi-finals in Cologne on Sunday 16 August at 21:00 CET.

Where to watch the game on TV

Fans can find their local UEFA Europa League broadcast partner(s) here.

Possible line-ups

Sevilla: Bounou; Navas, Diego Carlos, Koundé, Reguilón; Banega, Fernando, Jordán; Suso, En-Nesyri, Ocampos

Manchester United: Romero; Wan-Bissaka, Bailly, Maguire, Williams; Fred; Greenwood, Bruno Fernandes, Pogba, Rashford; Martial
Out: Jones (knee)

The teams

Sevilla (ESP)
UEFA ranking: 10
Domestic position: 4 (final match: 19 July)
Last five games: WWWDW
How they got there: Group A winners, 1-1 CFR Cluj (away goals, R32), 2-0 Roma (R16), 1-0 Wolves (QF)
Last season: round of 16 (L vs Slavia Praha, aet)
Semi-final record: P5 W5 L0 (most recent: 2015/16, W vs Shakhtar)
Final record: P5 W5 L0 (most recent: 2015/16, W vs Liverpool)
Previous UEFA Cup/Europa League best: winners (2005/06, 2006/07, 2013/14, 2014/15, 2015/16)

Manchester United (ENG)
UEFA ranking: 8
Domestic position: 3 (final match: 26 July)
Last five games (most recent first): WWWDL
How they got there: Group L winners, 6-1 Club Brugge (R32), 7-1 LASK (R16), 1-0 Copenhagen (QF)
Last season: UEFA Champions League quarter-finals (L vs Barcelona)
Semi-final record: P1 W1 L0 (most recent: 2016/17, W vs Celta Vigo)
Final record: P1 W1 L0 (2016/17, W vs Ajax)
Previous UEFA Cup/Europa League best: winners (2016/17)

Previous meetings

2017/18 UEFA Champions League round of 16
21/02/2018 Sevilla 0-0 United
13/03/2018 United 1-2 Sevilla (Lukaku 84; Ben Yedder 74 78)

How the teams are shaping up

Sevilla are now 19 games unbeaten in all competitions and hitting form at just the right time. They were impressive in seeing off in-form Roma and displayed patience and resolve to beat Wolves at the death. Their experience in this competition gives them an extra edge; they know how to get the job done.
Joe Walker, Sevilla reporter

The Red Devils ended the domestic season with momentum but there have been signs of sluggishness since the UEFA Europa League resumed. United started slowly in Monday's quarter-final and Copenhagen might easily have snatched it late on. There is ample room for improvement, albeit Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s team have the players to turn on the style when it matters.
Matthew Howarth, United reporter

Tactics

Julen Lopetegui arranges his side in a 4-3-3 that can quickly become a 4-5-1 when not in possession. He likes them to play with unrelenting intensity, pressing high up the pitch and hounding opponents who try and play out from the back. Going forwards, keep an eye on marauding full-backs Jesús Navas and Sergio Reguilón, while Éver Banega pulls the strings in midfield.
Joe Walker, Sevilla reporter

Solskjær generally utilises a 4-2-3-1, though he has deployed a defensive 3-4-1-2 against stronger opposition this season. Much of United's play goes through Bruno Fernandes, who finished the campaign strongly but showed signs of fatigue on Monday. In Marcus Rashford, Mason Greenwood and Anthony Martial, their attack boasts formidable pace.
Matthew Howarth, United reporter

What the coaches say

Julen Lopetegui, Sevilla coach: "[United haven't] lost a Premier League game since January, so they're obviously a top team with great strength, but these are the semi-finals of the Europa League, and the only thing that will help us through any difficulty or situation that we come across at this high level is ambition, excitement and the desire to compete, with the aim of overcoming a great opponent. We're all delighted with the team's work, discipline, responsibility and ambition throughout the year. That's how we want to be."

Ole Gunnar Solskjær, Manchester United manager: "We have had a few good days preparing, recovering and training. It's not very often we have six days between games, so we are ready. In any game it is important to start well. If you start on the back foot, if you don't get first touches and tackle you go searching. We have to play our best game, play out of their press, be clever, be creative and step up in those big moments. These games will be decided on a set piece or a piece of individual brilliance."

What's next

The winners of this tie will face Inter or Shakhtar in the final in Cologne on Friday 21 August.