Sevilla's transfer director Monchi has reacted to the Spanish side drawing Manchester United in the Europa League quarterfinals. Monchi stated that Sevilla have a huge task on their hands playing Erik Ten Hag's side in the Europa League, he claimed Manchester United are favourites to win this year's edition of the competition but believes his side can still upstage the Red Devils.
The Friday noon Europa League draw has indicated the path to the Europa League final spots, which will be played in Budapest later in May. Six times Europa League Champions, Sevilla were drawn against Erik Ten Hag's Manchester United in the quarterfinals, while the winner of the tie will face either Juventus or Sporting Lisbon in the semifinals.
While Sevilla are having a bad season, as they are sitting in 13th place on the La Liga table and two points from dropping into the relegation zone, the statistics aren't favorable for Manchester United. Manchester United has a poor record against Spanish teams, and Sevilla in particular hasn't recorded any losses in their last three meetings with the 20-time Premier League Champions.
They knocked Jose Mourinho's Manchester United out of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 back in 2018, before denting Ole Solskjaer's chances of lifting a trophy in the Europa League semifinals two years later.
However, despite Sevilla's 100 percent win record against the Red Devils, the La Liga outfit's transfer director, Monchi, claimed that Erik Ten Hag's side are favorites to lift the Europa League trophy this season.
"If you ask me if there is a favorite, it is Manchester United," he told the Spanish national newspaper Mundo Deportivo.
"We have to recover injured players, and, with that, we will increase competitiveness." A team that has won six Europa League titles has also done so through suffering and difficult matches. "No one has to show us the way."
However, Monchi made it clear he isn't making his judgment based on the Red Devils' recent exploits against Spanish teams. Erik Ten Hag's side beat Real Sociedad in the group stages of the competition, then went on to eliminate current La Liga leaders FC Barcelona in the playoffs and Real Betis in the round of 16.
"The reference is not to the Betis match or any team but to the [United] squad, which is tremendous," he explained.
"There were also differences in other ties we have lived through these years, and we could overcome them." "We must always go with optimism."
Monchi went on to praise the United squad. "You must have insurance, but it is not easy to find it." I highlight their quality and their tremendous physical strength. "It is a squad that has taken time to become known, but now it is in the top ten of European football."
However, Manchester United's manager Erik Ten Hag is weary of the threat the six-time Europa League winners pose, as he emphasized that their experience in the competition makes them a dangerous opponent.
"So we go back to Sevilla," Erik Ten Hag stated during his press conference on Friday afternoon ahead of the Red Devils' weekend clash with Fulham in the quarterfinals of the Emirates FA Cup.
"You say, they have a very good record." We have to be aware of it. So it's going to be tough because they are really experienced in the Europa League, having won it so many times. "I don’t know their team now in detail, so I have to focus on that."
"But, definitely, I think all the opponents who come to this stage of the Europa League are strong." You have to play your best football if you want to go through. "It's definitely the case if you face Seville," he explained.
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