Manchester United, become one of the main favorites for the 2022/23 Europa League title that has left Barcelona and Betis in the ditch in the previous rounds, also crosses the path of Sevilla, ‘king’ of the competition and the only surviving Spanish team.
The winners of six titles in this competition under the current name and as the UEFA Cup are experiencing a more than difficult campaign in LaLiga Santander, in the middle of the fight for salvation, but after leaving the Champions League they have been progressing in their fetish tournament with difficult rounds against PSV Eindhoven and Fenerbahce thanks to their victories at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán in the first legs.
The team led by Jorge Sampaoli ended up suffering both in Eindhoven and in Istanbul, where they lost 2-0 1-0, respectively, but they got through and, despite their deficiencies and problems, they will try to make the surprise jump, something that they will not Neither Barcelona nor Betis could do it, against the rival that nobody wanted, but that the ‘innocent hand’ of the former Hungarian player Zoltan Gera, ambassador of the final of the Puskas Arena in Budapest, provided.
In the history between the two teams, the Spanish team has never lost to United, whom they have won two games and drawn one, but the situation for both now seems to be very different with a game forecast in favor of the English block on their way to the final on May 31.
In the round of 16 of the 2017/18 Champions League, after the 0-0 loss in Seville, the team led by the Italian Vincenzo Montella won in the second leg 1-2 with a brace from Frenchman Wissam Ben Yedder, and in the semifinal In 2020, in a single match in Cologne, the Andalusian team won 2-1 with goals from Suso Fernández and the Dutchman Luuk de Jong.
In this round, Sevilla will have the field factor for the second leg, a circumstance that does not frighten United, who sealed the tie against Betis in the first leg at Old Trafford and won again at Benito Villamarín in the second leg.
The English are chasing their second title in this competition after the one they won in 2017 against Ajax in the final, which would give them access to the next Champions League, although right now they are in that area in the Premier.
If Sevilla overcome the tremendous obstacle of Manchester United, they would also have a very tough semifinal against the winner of Juventus-Sporting Lisbon, a duel between another of the favorites, with three titles to their credit, and the Portuguese team, which surprised Arsenal in the round of 16, whom he got off at the Emirates in the penalty shootout.
Roma, the executioner of Real Sociedad, will meet Dutch Feyenoord, twice champion of the tournament (1974 and 2022) who thrashed the Ukrainian Shakhtar Donetsk in the second leg (7-1). If they win, Jose Mourinho’s team will face the winner of the tie between German Bayer Leverkusen and Belgian Saint-Gilloise, the great revelation, who is making history this season
There could be a reunion between Mourinho and Xabi Alonso, coach of Leverkusen, who coincided as coach and player at Real Madrid.
The quarterfinal matches will take place on April 13 and 20, the semifinals will be on May 11 and 18, and the final in Budapest on May 31.
