Nemanja Matic: ‘Manchester United deserved to lose’

Sevilla reached the Champions League quarterfinals for the first time after beating Manchester United 2-1 yesterday thanks to two second-half goals from substitute Wissam Ben Yedder.

Jose Mourinho To Replace Romelu Lukaku With This World-Class Striker?

It’s emerged what Jose Mourinho did after Sevilla dumped Manchester United out of the Champions League.

That is not to say that Mourinho must play possession-based football; Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool is proving that counter-attacking football does not have to be boring and negative.

No regrets. No genuine sadness.

His point, I guess, is that Man United, even under Sir Alex Ferguson, have been knocked out of the Champions League in the past – a classic attempt to distance himself from blame by contextualising the defeat on a wider scale.

Despite this lack of synergy, Lukaku himself has received rave reviews for his performances in recent weeks, and his honesty in this post-match interview has cemented his place as a firm favourite with the Old Trafford faithful.

“I sit in this chair with Porto, Man United out. I don’t think they knew too much about Sevilla, I think they expected United to go at them and when that didn’t happen there was like a hush of “oh no, what’s happening here”, and that transmitted into the players and maybe vice versa as well”.

This wasn’t a tie that seemed hard for United, and many pundits and writers even labelled Sevilla as the ideal round of 16 matchup for the Reds, but from the opening minutes of the first leg they looked like a Championship team playing for a draw in a cup match against a bigger club.

Hardly the words United fans would want to hear.

Playing with caution in the away leg three weeks ago was understandable, despite the general acceptance that a 0-0 draw away from home is not so great a result these days.

But at home? With United’s traditions? However, they were possibly an attempt to bring some realism to a fan base that demands not only success, but stylish and attacking glory.

Ben Yedder put Sevilla in front 16 minutes from time when he blasted into the bottom corner before heading in a second shortly after. It was never going to happen.

Mourinho was and remains the best man to lead this team.

United exited from the competition after Sevilla won 2-1. How about sending the team out with a cautious mindset?

“That’s football, we lost, but tomorrow is another day and Saturday is another match”.

According to the BBC, Sevilla’s players were so impressed with Mourinho’s grace and humility that they responded with a round of applause.

With Nemanja Matic alone in the defensive midfield role, Fellaini was all over the midfield in his usual aggressive fashion but provided little composure or balance.

Meanwhile, Ben Yedder has emerged as a Champions League force this season.

Mourinho’s side showed none of the intensity displayed in the weekend win against rivals Liverpool, with Marouane Fellaini mustering the only noteworthy shot in a first half. “We had good situations, we had good periods”.