The curse of La Liga may sink Manchester United again. Erik ten Hag seemed to be curing many of their bad habits and a club who had gone out of Europe to Spanish opposition in five consecutive seasons appeared on course for a third successive triumph against its representatives. Barcelona were eliminated in the last 32, Real Betis in the last 16 and Sevilla looked shambolic as they went two goals down in the first quarter at Old Trafford.
But there is something about Sevilla in the Europa League. Languishing in the bottom half of their domestic league, only five points off the drop zone, on their third manager of the season, the six-time winners mounted the sort of comeback United thought they had trademarked. They did so with the aid of fortune, with injury reducing United to 10 men and two deflections bringing two own goals. But a 2-2 draw represented riches to take back home and Ten Hag’s dream of a cup treble felt under threat after a disastrous few minutes.
