Manchester United take on Real Betis in the last-16 of the Europa League on Thursday. We take a look at five stats and facts provided by Eurosport going into the clash at Old Trafford.
1) This is the first meeting between Manchester United and Real Betis in any competition, with the Andalusian side the 12th different Spanish team United have faced in major European competition – the highest number from a single nation.
2) Betis have lost four of their last six European matches against English opposition (1 win, 1 draw), this being their first such game since November 2005, when they drew 0-0 with Liverpool in the Champions League.
3) United have not lost the first leg of any of their last eight European ties. When their first leg has been at home in UEFA Cup/Europa League ties, they have lost just one of 11 matches, a 3-2 defeat to Marcelo Bielsa’s Athletic Club in March 2012, just over 11 years to the day before their match against Betis will be played.
4) Betis have won just one of their last seven Europa League knockout matches (3 draws, 3 defeats), a 3-2 victory over Zenit St Petersburg in February 2022. However, their three knockout wins in the competition have come away from home (vs Rubin Kazan and Sevilla in 2014 and Zenit in 2022).
5) Betis head coach Manuel Pellegrini has faced Manchester United four times previously in European competition – all four matches ended goalless in the Champions League group stage in 2005-06 and 2008-09 when he was manager of La Liga side Villarreal. Those goalless draws account for 11% of United’s total 0-0 draws in major European competitions (4/37).
Kieran Quaile | GSFN
