
Ole Gunnar Solksjaer’s first complete season at the helm of Manchester United is finally reaching its culmination point, With Europa League, the only competition left to play for.
After a slow start to the season, United have finally gotten their season back on track with late victories in the Premier League, An appearance in the semi-finals of the FA Cup and now an extended run in the Uefa Europa League. The knock out round of this mini-tournament is being held in Germany with the final expected to be played at the RheinEnergieStadion in Cologne.
Manchester United found their opponent for this one-off fixture in Sevilla. Sevilla has been a regular in the Europa League fixtures in the recent years and is well known throughout the footballing world for being the only team to win 3 back to back Europa League titles under former manager Unai Emery.
Sevilla has always been one of La Liga’s most challenging sides to beat. Throughout the years, they are known for pulling off upsets at the top which shift the course of the title race. Their form in Europe, particularly their Europa League ventures, make them a highly reputed side. The international expansion of the Sevilla FC brand is undeniable. After their many successes in recent years, and with thanks to the growth of Spanish football in general, the club has stopped being just a team that is known locally or nationally, as it is now gaining the interest from all around the world.
Manager
On the 1st of June 2019, Sevilla announced the appointment of Former Real Madrid boss Julen Lopetegui as their new head coach.
Lopetegui is well-known across the footballing for leading Spain to the 2018 Fifa world cup without losing a single game.
A well-travelled Manager, The Spanish coach believes in a philosophy of possession-based, attacking football which finds its root in the innovative use of wing-backs to a devastating extent.
Tactical Analysis
. In possession
Lopetegui prefers a 4-3-3 system in possession which has been employed by Sevilla for the majority of the season this year. This formation also allows them to change to a 3-4-3 or a 4-1-4-1 with minimal variations, being very adaptable and changeable even within the same match. But regardless of what the formation looks like on paper, Sevilla usually tries to use similar tactics. Their principles don’t change from match to match. They look to exploit the wings, from where Navas and Reguilón or Escudero from the wing-back position and Ocampos and Suso from the winger position create most of the team’s opportunities.
Sevilla also tries to use quick transitions to take advantage of the pace they have on the wings and upfront. They use their central midfielders to launch their quick transitions with their passing range. Sevilla rarely looks to recycle possession and attempt positional attacks.
Off the Ball
Sevilla’s tactics off the ball are a mix of pressing and waiting. They don’t press all around the pitch but make sure the rivals are not comfortable and make them play through certain zones to then press very aggressively and recover the ball. This is done by someone joining the striker in the press, making the opposition centre-backs play to the desired side. Once that happens, they press very intensely and effectively. This defensive setup allows the defenders to leave their position to follow rival forwards to come deep to receive the ball.
. Strengths
1) The role of the wing-backs – As can be seen by the fluid and flexible defensive shape deployed by Lopetegui, the role of the wing-back within this set-up can diversify significantly. Considering the roles of Navas and Reguilón, who have been the full-back pairing for 77.6% of minutes played by Sevilla this season. They are usually expected to provide width to the attack when in possession of the ball. They, in turn, are Served by the midfield playmakers like Éver Banega and Joan Jordán who can pick out a pass to the wide areas with ease and immediately look to Navas and Reguilón to be bombing forward to exploit the space ahead of them and then redirect the ball centrally to create a goalscoring chance for the team.
With central defenders and a holding midfielder providing cover in behind, they can do so without the concern for their defensive responsibilities.
. Weakness
1) Open space on the counter: The use of high wing-backs provides a real attacking threat to Sevilla., However as they also commit men forward, this leaves an opportunity to counter-attack and hit the areas in behind the vacant full-backs.
Opponents who manage to do this regularly are ultimately successful as the wing-backs often progress forward anticipating the midfielders to retain possession after the direct ball from the back, however, a misplaced pass can allow the opponent to play forward quickly to their attacking players to drive towards the 18-yard box.
The Opposition is expected to ask their attackers to split the defence and occupy areas wide, ready to receive and utilise the space left when they attack. It’s also important that as Sevilla’s wingbacks are quick, accurate first-time vertical passes are really important, reducing the opportunity for them to recover and delay the attack.
2) Lack of Pace- With an ageing Midfield and their Wing backs pushing high for most of the game, A quick counter-attack has often been seen as Sevilla’s downfall in open play.
Players to watch for
1) Lucas Ocampos
2) Sergio Reguilón
3) Ever Banega
4) Youssef En-Nesyri
What to expect from Sevilla
Sevilla is be expected to keep possession of the ball for long intervals of time and is likely to probe down the Channels of United’s defence. Of the ball, they would be expected to mark the United players zonally and try to execute a quick transition and use the pace of their wing-backs and strikers to counter quick.

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