Man United vs Betis facts

Having thrillingly disposed of Barcelona in the knockout play-offs, Manchester United face a third Spanish club in this UEFA Europa League campaign in the shape of round of 16 opponents Real Betis who, led by ex-Manchester City manager Manuel Pellelgrini, are looking to reach the quarter-finals of a European competition for only the third time.

During the autumn United were runners-up on goal difference to Real Sociedad in UEFA Europa League Group E despite registering 15 points – a tally greater than that of five section winners – but they got the better of Liga giants Barcelona in February, a 2-2 draw at the Camp Nou followed by a 2-1 comeback win at Old Trafford with Brazilian duo Fred and Antony scoring the decisive goals.

Real Betis secured top spot in Group C with a game to spare to reach the UEFA Europa League round of 16 for the second successive season. They registered 16 points – the most of any side in the group stage – and also had the biggest advantage over the runners-up, finishing six points clear of second-placed Roma.

Previous meetings

This is the clubs' first meeting in UEFA competition.

The recent win against Barcelona was just the 20th for United in 70 UEFA matches against Spanish clubs and only the 12th in 32 games at home. They have recorded a mere four victories in the last 15 encounters with Spanish visitors to Old Trafford, losing six including each of the two preceding the victory against Barça.

United's last five European campaigns have all been brought to an end by Spanish clubs, Atlético de Madrid eliminating them in last season's UEFA Champions League round of 16 (1-1 a, 0-1 h).

United's overall record in two-legged European ties against Spanish teams is now W9 L10.

Betis lost the first four of their six UEFA matches against English teams but are unbeaten in the last two, beating Chelsea 1-0 at home and drawing 0-0 away to Liverpool in the 2005/06 UEFA Champions League group stage – their sole season in that competition. The reverse fixtures had ended 1-2 at home to Liverpool and 0-4 at Chelsea.

The Andalusian side's only previous knockout tie against an English team resulted in defeat to Chelsea in the quarter-finals of the 1997/98 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1-2 h, 1-3 a), which the London side went on to win.

Form guide

Man United

United finished sixth in the English top flight last season, registering 58 points – their lowest ever Premier League tally – to qualify for the UEFA Europa League group stage. They topped their 2021/22 UEFA Champions League section ahead of Villarreal, Atalanta and Young Boys, but were eliminated in the last 16 by Atlético under interim boss Ralf Rangnick, who was replaced as head coach in the summer by Erik ten Hag.

The Dutchman's first European encounter as United boss also ended in defeat by Spanish opposition as the Red Devils lost their opening Group E encounter 0-1 at Old Trafford to Real Sociedad. However, they won all of their other five fixtures, doing the double over both Sheriff (2-0 a, 3-0 h) and Omonoia (3-2 a, 1-0 h) before reversing that Matchday 1 scoreline in San Sebastián, when they needed to win by two or more goals to unseat their opponents from top spot.

Still, the victory over Barcelona clinched United's sixth participation in the UEFA Europa League round of 16. They lost their first two ties at this stage – to Athletic Club in 2011/12 (2-3 h, 1-2 a) and Liverpool in 2015/16 (0-2 a, 1-1 h) – but have won the last three – against Rostov in 2016/17 (1-1 a, 1-0 h), LASK in 2019/20 (5-0 a, 2-1 h) and AC Milan in 2020/21 (1-1 h, 1-0 a). Indeed, United have made it through to the last four in each of their last three campaigns, winning the competition in 2016/17, going out in the semi-finals in 2019/20, to Sevilla, and finishing as runners-up on their last appearance in 2020/21, when they lost the final 11-10 on penalties to Villarreal after a 1-1 draw in Gdańsk.

United's UEFA Europa League record at Old Trafford is W17 D4 L3, the Matchday 1 defeat by Real Sociedad ending an 18-match unbeaten run (W14 D4). In the knockout phase of the competition they lost their first two home fixtures but are unbeaten in the 13 since (W9 D4), winning the last three.

Betis

Betis qualified for a fourth crack at the UEFA Europa League group stage on two fronts under experienced head coach Pellegrini last season, finishing fifth in the Spanish Liga and also winning the Copa del Rey for the third time – and first since 2004/05 – with a penalty shoot-out success in the final against Valencia (1-1).

The Seville club's last four European campaigns have all been in the UEFA Europa League, and they have advanced to the knockout phase each time. They maintained that record this season by doing the double over both HJK Helsinki (2-0 a, 3-0 h) and Ludogorets (3-2 h, 1-0 a) and taking four points off Roma (2-1 a, 1-1 h).

Last season they finished second in their section behind Bayer Leverkusen, before edging out Zenit in the knockout play-offs (3-2 a, 0-0 h) then succumbing late in extra time of the round of 16 to eventual winners Eintracht Frankfurt (1-2 h, 1-1 a). Betis's only other round of 16 tie also ended in defeat, against city rivals Sevilla in 2013/14, when they won the first away leg 2-0 but lost by the same score at home and were then beaten on penalties.

Betis's away record in all rounds of the UEFA Europa League is W10 D5 L3 with no defeats in the last five matches and wins in all three this season. They are unbeaten on their travels in the competition's knockout phase (W3 D2).

UEFA Europa League squad changes

Man United

In: Jack Butland (Crystal Palace, loan), Marcel Sabitzer (Bayern München, loan), Wout Weghorst (Burnley, loan)
Out: Cristiano Ronaldo (released), Martin Dúbravka (Newcastle, end loan), Charlie McNeill (Newport, loan), Shola Shoretire (Bolton, loan), Axel Tuanzebe (Stoke, loan)

Real Betis

In: Abner Vinícius (Athletico Paranaense), Ayoze Pérez (Leicester, loan)
Out: Paul Akouokou, Álex Moreno (Aston Villa)

Links and trivia 

Betis boss Pellegrini coached United's city rivals Manchester City between 2013 and 2016, winning the Premier League in 2013/14 as well as two League Cups (2013/14, 2015/16). He also had a second spell in England with West Ham United from May 2018 to December 2019. His Premier League record against Manchester United was W5 D1 L3, two of the defeats at Old Trafford.

Spanish goalkeeper David de Gea, who started his career with Atlético before moving to Old Trafford in 2011, is one of four players with Liga experience in United's squad. Raphäel Varane (2012–21) and summer signing Casemiro (2013/14, 2015–22) were both Real Madrid stalwarts, while Anthony Martial spent the second half of last season on loan at Sevilla.

Likewise, four members of the Betis squad have played in England: Claudio Bravo (Manchester City 2016–20), Martín Montoya (Brighton 2018–20), Willian José (Wolves 2021 loan) and new loan signing Ayoze Pérez (Newcastle 2014–19, Leicester 2019–23).

United defender Lisandro Martínez and Betis duo Germán Pezzella and Guido Rodríguez were all members of the Argentina squad that won the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

United's Bruno Fernandes and William Carvalho of Betis played together for Sporting CP in 2017/18 and are national team-mates for Portugal along with Diogo Dalot (United) and Rui Silva (Betis).

Varane, Martial and Betis midfielder Nabil Fekir have all played for France.

Ten Hag's record in UEFA competition against Spanish clubs is now W5 D1 L4, which includes a momentous 4-1 win for Ajax at Real Madrid in the second leg of the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League round of 16 that knocked the holders out of the competition.

With four goals United's Marcus Rashford is the joint leading scorer in this season's UEFA Europa League, group stage to final. Three other players share that tally, although only one of those, Feyenoord's Sebastián Giménez, is still active in the competition.

United are one of two former UEFA Europa League winners competing in the round of 16, the other four-time champions Sevilla. Four other teams – Bayer Leverkusen, Feyenoord, Juventus and Shakhtar Donetsk – lifted the trophy as the UEFA Cup.

United have experienced wildly fluctuating fortunes since their win against Barcelona, defeating Newcastle United 2-0 to win the English League Cup final on 26 February – the club's first trophy in six years – but suffering a 7-0 defeat by Liverpool at Anfield in the Premier League on Sunday, the joint heaviest in the club's history. Betis held Spanish champions Real Madrid to a 0-0 draw at the weekend and remain fifth in the Liga standings.