VINCENZO MONTELLA ACKNOWLEDGED Manchester United have the players to worry him and he expects his Sevilla side to face a “very offensive” opponent at Old Trafford on Tuesday.
Sevilla travel to Manchester having drawn 0-0 with Jose Mourinho’s men at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie.
It was seen as a missed opportunity for Sevilla, given they controlled much of the game and saw Luis Muriel denied a goal by a remarkable David de Gea save just before half time.
United have won all three of their matches since drawing in Seville, including coming from 2-0 down to beat Crystal Palace 3-2 and Saturday’s 2-1 triumph over in-form Liverpool.
By contrast, Sevilla have lost two of their four league games since, with Valencia leaving Andalusia with a 2-0 victory on Saturday.
And Montella is well aware of the task facing his side as they look to reach the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time.
“I am as worried as I was in the first leg, because United have a strong physical and technical level,” Montella told reporters on Monday.
“It is normal [to be worried] – they are top-level players and they have technique, physical prowess and strength.
“Looking at the first-leg team, [Mourinho's] side had very offensive players like Sanchez, Lukaku etc. Tomorrow, it will be the same, a Manchester United with very offensive players.
“We played an excellent match in the first leg. We have to play that to 180 minutes now.
“We have another chance tomorrow. We know that United have beaten Chelsea and Liverpool and have come back against Crystal Palace.
“They’re on a roll, but we hope to interrupt United’s good run. Mourinho is not used to losing at home, so maybe it’ll be good to just draw 1-1.”
Montella’s side head to Manchester with some injury problems, particularly in defence.
Sebastian Corchia and his right-back deputy Jesus Navas are both out injured, meaning Montella is going to have to shuffle his defence, though he is adamant he will not be switching to a back three as a result.
“In a game like this, at the highest level, it is important to keep the same principles of your game,” Montella said.
“You cannot play differently. We will have four defenders and I have to decide which players.
“I do not have many options for right-back. One can be [left-back, Sergio] Escudero and the others can be [Gabriel] Mercado and [Simon] Kjaer. That will be the choice.”
This guy is completely overratted
@jay bernard: don’t know how he warrants a contract of that size given his achievements in the game. He needs to start scoring regularly especially if the Wissam Ben Yedder rumours are true. WBY is a real fox in the box, Deschamps really rates him.
Best goal tally for 21 and under in the EPL, La Liga & Seria A in what was a shocking season under two different managers. 200k going to 300k based on incentives. Manchester born and bred. He’ll turn out to be some player yet
An absolute joke.
It’s 200k a week max as per Simon Stone – reliable United journo
@Brian: and you think that even £200,000 is acceptable for a player that scored 10 league goals last season. He’s English!!! He has been overhyped and overrated since they Day he broke into the first team by the British press, £200,000 per week for a very average player that would be more suited to playing for a team like Newcastle, Everton or Southampton. Mid table player at best, that shouldn’t be earning anything over 100,000 never mind 200,000 or 300,000.
@Devilsavocado: And eventually he will be destroyed by the British press too, I wish Utd would sell him on now
Beans Beans Beans
@Alan Brazil: is all you eat. Stand well back!
The club is a circus. Run by clowns who aren’t football men
@munsterman: and if you look at the nonsense that ich bin Brendan has been scribbling up there, it seems they are supported by a few clowns as well…..
@Devilsavocado: haha! G!mp
@Ich bin brendan: come on,, seriously mate, you really don’t believe the nonsense that you were writing in your previous posts do you?? There isn’t a club that finished in the top 5 above Utd that the lad would get into as a first team player. Not a single club that will be in the champions league next year had a bit of interest in buying him, he’s at best a bench player for Utd, but a 200,000 a week bench player??? WTF is going on at Utd that they offered that much money to him?? Where else was he going to go, they easily could have halved that and even then he should still consider himself lucky to be wearing the Utd jersey,, come on, I can’t be the only one who sees this….
@Devilsavocado: quit looking for validation. I’ll correct myself in that he didn’t score v pool in their 3-1 spanking but everything stated is fact inc. turning the best rb inside out and scoring in every debut. Barcelona were being touted as making an official approach, how much of that is being true is as truthful to say not a single team were, it would take a team of that stature to pull a local lad away from his local team. Apart from Kane for Spurs there isn’t a top 5 team that would produce an academy player like him. 200,000K is daft money but that’s the state of the club atm, not many want the Glazers there but that’s what they’re working with. I’m delighted he’s there for another 4 yrs, he’s got the wage now it’s upto him to start earning it, I believe he will.
@Ich bin brendan: ok fair enough, you have your opinion on the matter and people that actually know a bit about football have there’s. Let’s be honest here, I doesn’t matter that your opinion is obviously that of a delusional fan that can’t look at things without your fan glasses on but that’s ok,, we will leave it there and I’ll let you get back to your colouring book and crayons, there’s a good boy,, don’t stay up to late… :) validate myself, ha ha ha ha ha..
@Devilsavocado: “that actually know a bit about football” you have me stumped, you’ve trouble validating your opinionated drivel. “Ha ha ha” like I said before, G!mp
He’s got to start delivering on his promise . A lot of cash for a man still not scoring regularly but he does have the potential to be an absolute world class player I just hope he does start getting 30 odd goals a season .
On his debut he’s scored 2 in the EPL, same in his Europa, 1 Champions league and on his derby debut. Also turned the best rb in the country inside out to score against their biggest rivals, with the golden glove winner in goal!
@Ich bin brendan: can throw in his debut in the EFL & FA Cup as well. So every cup comp available to him. Calling him over rated is being bias, he’s proven he’s capable, needs consistency with age.
Reminds me of Ian Rush
His nose is offside
Even as a man utd fan, I think he doesn’t deserve this, prove your worth then get the money, he didn’t prove anything last season to deserve half this money.