Manchester United seek to edge out Sevilla

Manchester United FC are looking to finish the job against a Sevilla FC side who have never won a round of 16 tie in the UEFA Champions League.

• United, the Group A winners, are at this stage for the first time since 2013/14 and will need to improve on their stuttering recent home form against Spanish visitors as they seek to build on a goalless draw in Spain on 21 February.

• Their Liga opponents finished second in Group E and, with Vincenzo Montella having replaced Eduardo Berizzo as coach in December, will now look to make it through to the quarter-finals at the fourth attempt.

Match background

Manchester United
• This is the English club's tenth round of 16 tie (W6 L3), and their first since facing Olympiacos FC in 2013/14 (0-2 away, 3-0 home). Having lost their first two last-16 contests, United have won all but one of the most recent seven.

• United's record in two-legged ties against Spanish clubs is W6 L7.

• This is United's ninth European match this term and their third against Spanish opposition, their campaign having started with a 2-1 loss to Real Madrid CF in the UEFA Super Cup in Skopje on 8 August. That ended United's 11-game unbeaten run (W8 D3) since a 2-1 reversal at Fenerbahçe SK on matchday four of last season's UEFA Europa League. The defeat in Istanbul had been their fifth in nine European fixtures.

• The Red Devils won all but one of their six Group A games; the sole blemish was their 1-0 matchday five reverse at FC Basel 1893. At home they beat Basel 3-0, SL Benfica 2-0 and PFC CSKA Moskva 2-1. 

• Those losses to Madrid and Basel are United's only reverses in their last 19 European matches, home and away (W13 D4). The Basel loss ended a seven-game unbeaten European away record (W5 D2) since that setback at Fenerbahçe.

• José Mourinho's side got the better of Spanish opposition in last season's UEFA Europa League semi-finals, winning 1-0 at RC Celta de Vigo in the first leg thanks to a Marcus Rashford free-kick. They went through 2-1 on aggregate with a 1-1 home draw, Marouane Fellaini scoring for United.

• That UEFA Super Cup defeat by Madrid and the first-leg draw means United have now won two of their last 12 matches against Spanish clubs, with five draws and five defeats in that time. The Red Devils have also won five of their last 23 matches with Liga opposition (D10 L8).

• United have played 51 times against Liga clubs, with the record W13 D21 L17. At home their record is W9 D10 L4, although they have lost two of the last four and won only one of the last six.

• United have contested three finals with Spanish sides – all against FC Barcelona. They were 2-1 winners in the 1990/91 European Cup Winners' Cup final in Rotterdam but lost 2-0 in 2008/09 in Rome and 3-1 in London in 2010/11, both in the UEFA Champions League.

• Mourinho's charges completed a clean sweep of European trophies for the club with victory in last season's UEFA Europa League. The win against AFC Ajax in Stockholm added to their European Cup triumphs in 1968, 1999 and 2008 and their 1991 European Cup Winners' Cup success.

• United have won 11 of the 15 UEFA competition ties in which they recorded a first-leg away draw, including the last two, most recently against RSC Anderlecht in last season's UEFA Europa League quarter-final (1-1 away, 2-1 home aet).

Sevilla's Luis Muriel (left) after being denied by David de Gea©AFP/Getty Images

• That total includes nine ties where the first, away, leg finished 0-0; United's aggregate record in that instance is W6 L3 with wins in the last three contests, most recently against Olympique de Marseille in the 2010/11 UEFA Champions League round of 16 (2-1 home).

• United's record in three UEFA penalty shoot-outs is W1 L2:
6-5 v Chelsea FC, 2007/08 UEFA Champions League final
3-4 v FC Torpedo Moskva, 1992/93 UEFA Cup first round
4-5 v Videoton FC, 1984/85 UEFA Cup quarter-finals

Sevilla
• The Spanish side have lost all three of their previous UEFA Champions League round of 16 ties. In 2007/08 they were beaten 3-2 on penalties by Fenerbahçe SK after a 5-5 aggregate draw (2-3 away, 3-2 home); two years later they lost 3-2 over two legs against PFC CSKA Moskva (1-1 away, 1-2 home) and they went down 3-2 to Leicester City FC 12 months ago (2-1 home, 0-2 away).

• The Spanish side's record in away round of 16 games is therefore D1 L2.

• They did beat Denmark's AGF Aarhus 4-0 at home and 2-0 away in the 1957/58 European Champion Clubs' Cup last 16.

• Sevilla have never won in six trips to England (D3 L3), although on their most recent visit they emerged with a 2-2 draw from their trip to Liverpool FC on matchday one this season.

• The Andalusian club did not win away in Group E, and endured their heaviest UEFA Champions League defeat in losing 5-1 at Spartak on matchday three. They concluded with a 1-1 draw at NK Maribor to secure second place in the section.

• Sevilla have lost only two of their last 11 away matches in UEFA competition (W3 D6): at Spartak and that 2-0 reverse at Leicester in last season's round of 16 second leg, which completed a 3-2 aggregate loss.

• Their record in two-legged knockout ties against Premier League sides is W1 L1. Aside from last season's defeat by Leicester, they beat Tottenham Hotspur FC 4-3 on aggregate in the quarter-finals of their victorious 2006/07 UEFA Cup campaign (2-1 home, 2-2 away).

• Sevilla have won three of the six UEFA competition ties in which they drew the home first leg, most recently against FC Shakhtar Donetsk in the 2006/07 UEFA Cup round of 16 (2-2 home, 3-2 away aet); they went on to lift the trophy.

• When drawing 0-0 at home first time out, Sevilla have won two and lost one of their three ties, the most recent of which came against 1. FSV Mainz 05 in the 2005/06 UEFA Cup first round (2-0 away); once more the Spanish side went on to take the trophy.

• Sevilla's penalty shoot-out record in UEFA competition is W5 L1:
5-4 v Athletic Club, 2015/16 UEFA Europa League quarter-finals
4-2 v SL Benfica, 2013/14 UEFA Europa League final
4-3 v Real Betis Balompié, 2013/14 UEFA Europa League round of 16
2-3 v Fenerbahçe SK, 2007/08 UEFA Champions League round of 16
3-1 v RCD Espanyol, 2006/07 UEFA Cup final
4-3 v PAOK FC, 1990/91 UEFA Cup first round

Coach and player links
• Mourinho won seven of his eight fixtures against Sevilla while coach of Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013, losing the other. Madrid scored 23 goals in those eight fixtures, conceding six.

• Have played in Spain:
David de Gea (Club Atlético de Madrid 2008–11)
Eric Bailly (RCD Espanyol 2013–15, Villarreal CF 2015–16)
Ander Herrera (Real Zaragoza 2008–11, Athletic Club 2011–14)
Juan Mata (Real Madrid Castilla 2006/07, Valencia CF 2007–11)
Zlatan Ibrahimović (FC Barcelona 2009/10)
Alexis Sánchez (FC Barcelona 2011–14)

• Sánchez won all five games against Sevilla while at Barcelona, scoring home (3-2) and away (4-1) in the 2013/14 Liga.

• Both Roque Mesa and Sandro have suffered 4-0 defeats against United already this season. The former made his Swansea debut in a heavy home defeat against Mourinho's side on 19 August; Sandro was a second-half substitute as Everton went down by the same score at Old Trafford on 17 September.

• De Gea did not record a win in four fixtures against Sevilla while at Atlético (D1 L3).

• Bailly's record against Sevilla with Villarreal was W1 L4; he was sent off in Sevilla's 2-1 win in the 2014/15 UEFA Europa League round of 16 second leg (5-2 aggregate).

• Herrera faced Sevilla nine times with Zaragoza and Athletic Club (W5 D1 L3), scoring once.

• Mata scored three goals in nine matches against Sevilla while a Valencia player (W3 D1 L5).

• Ibrahimović got two goals in four games against Sevilla with Barcelona (W2 L2).

• Have played in England:
Steven N'Zonzi (Blackburn Rovers FC 2009–12, Stoke City FC 2012–15)
Jesús Navas (Manchester City FC 2013–17)
Nolito (Manchester City FC 2016/17)
Daniel Carriço (Reading FC 2013)
Sandro Ramírez (Everton FC 2017/18)
Roque Mesa (Swansea City AFC 2017/18)

• N'Zonzi beat United once in nine attempts with Blackburn and Stoke (D2 L6).

• Have played together:
Sergio Romero & Luis Muriel (UC Sampdoria 2015)

• International team-mates:
Ander Herrera, David de Gea, Juan Mata & Nolito, Sergio Rico (Spain)
Sergio Romero, Marcos Rojo & Gabriel Mercado, Nico Pareja, Éver Banega, Joaquín Correa, Guido Pizarro (Argentina)
Paul Pogba & Sébastien Corchia, Steven N'Zonzi (France)

Match facts

Manchester United
• UEFA Champions League squad changes 
In: Alexis Sánchez
Out: Henrikh Mkhitaryan, James Wilson

• Jesse Lingard will incur a suspension with his next booking.

• United have won 17 of their 20 home games in all competitions this season, drawing two and losing only to Manchester City FC (1-2) in the Premier League on 10 December. The Red Devils have scored in 19 games at Old Trafford, drawing a blank only against Southampton FC on 30 December (0-0).

• Mourinho's side were staring at a third successive away Premier League defeat – having lost 2-0 at Tottenham Hotspur FC on 31 January and 1-0 at Newcastle United FC on 11 February – when they went 2-0 down at Crystal Palace FC on 5 March. However, goals from Chris Smalling, Romelu Lukaku and – in added time – Nemanja Matić extended United's unbeaten run to four games in all competitions.

• That became five (W4 D1) on Saturday when two Marcus Rashford goals ensured a 2-1 defeat of Liverpool FC at Old Trafford.

• The Palace game was the first time since December 2013 that United had come from 2-0 down to win in the Premier League – and the first time a Mourinho side had managed it in the competition (D2 L19).

• Lukaku scored seven goals in his first seven Premier League appearances this season, but managed only four in the next 14 prior to the first leg at Sevilla; he scored in the next two league games.

• Mourinho signed a new contract, running until 2020, in January. Juan Mata's deal has been extended until summer 2019.

• Bailly had been out since 5 November due to an ankle injury but returned as a late substitute on 17 February; he also came on in the 2-1 home win against Chelsea FC eight days later, and started (and scored an own goal) against Liverpool.

• Marouane Fellaini played for the first time since picking up a knee injury on 31 January as a substitute for Rashford on Saturday.

• Ander Herrera, who had been out since 31 January with a muscle problem, has not played since suffering a similar injury in the first leg with Sevilla. Zlatan Ibrahimović (out since 26 December, knee) and Daley Blind (17 January, ankle) have also been sidelined.

• Phil Jones (out since 11 February) and Anthony Martial (out since 25 February) are both carrying knocks.

Sevilla
• UEFA Champions League squad changes 
In: Guilherme Arana, Roque Mesa, Sandro Ramírez
Out: Ganso, Michael Krohn-Dehli, Borja Lasso, Walter Montoya

• Sergio Escudero, Éver Banega and Gabriel Mercado are all a booking away from a ban.

• Sevilla have lost only one of their last six away games, winning four. They have failed to score in only five of their 22 away matches in all competitions this season, but have kept only six clean sheets.

• The Andalusian club have lost two of their last eight games, home and away, in all competitions – they went down 2-0 at home to Valencia CF on Saturday – winning five.

• Sevilla parted company with coach Eduardo Berizzo on 22 December, appointing Vincenzo Montella as his replacement eight days later. The Italian signed an 18-month contract.

• Sevilla will play Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final at the Estadio Metropolitano, home of Atlético Madrid, on 21 April.

• Up to and including matchday six, Wissam Ben Yedder had scored 13 goals in 18 appearances in all competitions this season; in the 15 games since he has managed four.

• Jesús Navas (out since 25 February) and Lionel Carole, who has not played since 14 January, both have calf complaints.

• Simon Kjær has been out since 14 January due to a back problem, but returned against Málaga CF on 28 February.