EUROPA League
AFTERMATH OF EUROPA LEAGUE CRASH, SOLSKJAER TO STRENGTHEN MAN UNITED
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said that he plans to strengthen his squad ahead of next season following a 2-1 defeat to Sevilla in the Europa League semi-finals in Cologne on Sunday (Aug 16).
Having already fallen twice at the semi-finals stage in cup competitions this season, United were looking to go one better by reaching Friday’s Europa League final.
And they looked to be on course to do just that after Bruno Fernandes converted their 22nd penalty of the season in the ninth minute in the RheinEnergieStadion.
However, goals from Spanish winger Suso and former Newcastle United striker Luuk de Jong ensured five-time Europa League winners Sevilla will face either Inter Milan or Shakhtar Donetsk in the final, while ensuring United finish the season without a trophy.
“I cannot say when or if transfers are going to be done, but we are looking at it,” Solskjaer said.
“It is a quick turnaround (until the start of the new season). We just have to be 100 per cent sure when we do those deals.
“The players worked so hard, showed the right mentality, but we need to strengthen the squad depth, of course. It will be a long season.”
Missed chances cost United against Sevilla, whose goalkeeper Bono was in inspired form.
Over the course of United’s quarter-final against FC Copenhagen and their semi-final on Sunday they had 46 shots but managed just two goals – both penalties.
“The keeper’s had a fantastic game,” Solskjaer added.
“Of course it’s disappointing that we don’t score. We know we have players who have the quality to score, but that’s the game.
“When you don’t take your chances, it’s going to be hard.”
Sevilla have reached their sixth Uefa Cup/Europa League final – at least twice more than any other side in the history of the competition – with the victory over United taking them to 20 games unbeaten in all competitions.
“This is the best Manchester United of the last few years and the form team in England, so it is normal that we had to suffer,” said Sevilla boss Julen Lopetegui.
“This was a team effort. If you beat a team like United in a semi-final, you have to do it as a unit. That’s what we did tonight. I’m really proud of my team.
“We are very excited for the final, but it will be the hardest game yet and we have to prepare.”
– Reuters
Four-times Europa League winner Unai Emery booked an astonishing sixth final in the competition as a manager on Thursday when his Aston Villa team swept aside Nottingham Forest in the second leg of their all-English semi-final.
The 54-year-old Spaniard has won three times with Sevilla (2014, 2015, 2016) and once with Villarreal (2021) – either side of a defeat with Arsenal (2019) – deservedly earning him the epithet “Mr Europa League” from some fans and media.
Now he goes to the 2026 final seeking a fifth title, this time with Aston Villa against Bundesliga side Freiburg.
“His track record speaks for itself,” said Villa striker Ollie Watkins, heaping praise on his boss as the man to guarantee Europa League success. “We need to go and win it now.”
Emery was delighted with how his team overturned a 1-0 deficit to Forest in the first leg of the Europa League semi-final to score four times at home and win 4-1 on aggregate.
“Now we have to look to the final,” he said, hoping that Villa will do “something fantastic” for their fans.
Though thrilled at Thursday’s win, Emery left the pitch quickly after the final whistle, pumping his fist a few times at the crowd before letting his players enjoy the moment with fans
He and his Villa side will be favourites at the Europa League final in Istanbul on May 20, but Emery was taking nothing for granted. “Of course German teams are so difficult, their coaches, their players are so good,” he added of the upcoming opponents.
-Reuters
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List of teams which have qualified for the next round of the Europa League after the league phase concluded on Thursday, ranked by table position:
Directly to the round of 16:
1. Olympique Lyonnais (France)
2. Aston Villa (England)
3. Midtjylland (Denmark)
4. Real Betis (Spain)
5. Porto (Portugal)
6. Braga (Portugal)
7. Freiburg (Germany)
8. AS Roma (Italy)
Knockout phase play-off places (seeded)
9. Genk (Belgium)
10. Bologna (Italy)
11. VfB Stuttgart (Germany)
12. Ferencvaros (Hungary)
13. Nottingham Forest (England)
14. Viktoria Plzen (Czech Republic)
15. Red Star Belgrade (Serbia)
16. Celta Vigo (Spain)
Knockout phase play-off places (unseeded)
17. PAOK (Greece)
18. Lille (France)
19. Fenerbahce (Turkey)
20. Panathinaikos (Greece)
21. Celtic (Scotland)
22. Ludogorets (Bulgaria)
23. Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia)
24. SK Brann (Norway)
-Reuters
UEFA Europa League – Aston Villa v RB Salzburg – Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain – January 29, 2026 Aston
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Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv will not accept any away fan tickets for their Europa League match at Aston Villa next month, even if local authorities reverse the decision to ban their supporters, they said on Monday.
The ban followed safety concerns raised by British Police, who cited potential protests outside Villa Park, following demonstrations at Israel’s recent World Cup qualifiers in Oslo and Udine.
“From hard lessons learned we have taken the decision to decline any allocation offered on behalf of away fans and our decision should be understood in that context,” Maccabi said in a statement.
“We hope that circumstances will change and look forward to being able to play in Birmingham in a sporting environment in the near future.”
Aston Villa announced the decision last week, saying they were following instructions from the Safety Advisory Group (SAG), who are responsible for issuing safety certificates for games at Villa Park.
West Midlands Police described the match as high risk, past incidents, including violent confrontations and hate crime offences involving Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters ahead of a November 2024 game in Amsterdam.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar described the announcement as “shameful”.
Villa are third in the Europa League standings while Maccabi Tel Aviv are 30th after two rounds.
-Reuters
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