EUROPA League
Man United boost as Rashford, Shaw travel to Sevilla
Striker Marcus Rashford and defender Luke Shaw have recovered from injuries to improve Manchester United’s chances of making the Europa League semi-finals, manager Erik ten Hag said ahead of their quarter-final second leg against Sevilla.
The England internationals travelled to Spain with the rest of the squad as United bid to advance on Thursday after last week’s disappointing 2-2 draw at Old Trafford.
“They are available because that’s why they’re in the airplane, but I’ll take my decisions tomorrow,” Ten Hag told a news conference on Wednesday.
“Marcus had one session with the team (prior to today), but he had some more individually.”
Rashford missed the first leg due to a groin injury while Shaw has been nursing a hamstring problem.
United conceded two late own goals to allow Sevilla to draw the first leg after Marcel Sabitzer’s quickfire double in the first half put them in control of the tie.
“We let them in the game, I think, in the first game,” midfielder Christian Eriksen said. “We had good control for the first hour.
“They’ve had a lot of different coaches this season, but they are now starting to win games and being in a bit safer spot. They’re very direct, they’re in a good shape.”
Ten Hag is looking for more from his strikers.
“I think defensively we’re good, with I think most clean sheets in the Premier League. Our organisation, all over the pitch, is good. In attack… we should have scored more goals during the whole season,” Ten Haag said.
“But I’m confident, especially now that we have all the players on board, that we should score in every game and I’m confident we can do that tomorrow as well.”
United will be without midfielder Scott McTominay and defenders Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez, who has been ruled out for the rest of the season due to a fractured foot.
Midfielder Bruno Fernandes is suspended after picking up a yellow card in the first game against Sevilla.
United are third in the Premier League on 59 points, three above fourth-placed Newcastle United.
-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
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
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
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
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
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Morocco’s Saibari Joins World Cup Fast-Goal Elite with Scotland Winner
Koeman Gets Revenge as Netherlands Thrash Sweden 5-1 at World Cup
BET9ja FACT FILE
Breaking! Uzoho suspended from Super Eagles’ next match with Sierra Leone
No longer Super League as CAF changes name of its new clubs competition
NIGERIAN FOOTBALL CHIEF EXECUTIVE, SANUSI CHARGES NIGERIAN COACHES TO BE UPRIGHT, DILIGENT
- World Cup2 days ago
‘Most Oppressed Team’: Iran Set for FIFA Showdown Over Travel Rules
- World Cup5 days ago
Back in Canada After 39 Years: A Return to Where the Journey Began
- World Cup1 week ago
Atlas Lions Roar Again: Morocco Hold Five-Time Champions, Brazil In Another World Cup Statement
- World Cup5 days ago
Doku Faces World Cup-or-Fatherhood Dilemma as Belgium Star Awaits First Child
- World Cup6 days ago
Tunisia Become Second African Casualty as Sweden Hit Five in World Cup Rout
- World Cup6 days ago
Salah Eyes Birthday Gift as Egypt Seek Historic World Cup Breakthrough Against Belgium
- World Cup6 days ago
Advocaat Set to Make World Cup History as Curaçao Face Germany
- World Cup1 week ago
Ghana Protests Canada’s Visa Denial to Thomas Partey Ahead of World Cup Clash