Europa League – round of 16: Juventus and Manchester United complete the job to join the quarters

Manchester United, 4-1 winner in the first leg at Old Trafford, did not shake Thursday at the Benito-Villamarin stadium against Betis Sevilla (1-0) and validated their ticket for the quarter-finals of the Europa League. The Mancunians conceded a few chances in the first half, but opened the scoring on the return from the locker room thanks to a long-range goal from Marcus Rashford, who found the base of the right post of Rui Silva (56th).

The English striker, in great form since the World Cup, is on his 19th goal since his return from Qatar, his 27th in total since the start of the season. Not very inspired at the start of the game, Erik Ten Hag’s men were however able to manage the lead gained in the first leg, thanks in particular to a serious Casemiro in midfield. The “Red Devils”, who dismissed FC Barcelona in the previous round, eliminate a second La Liga team in a row and will know their opponent in the quarter in Friday’s draw.

Manchester dream of repeating their 2017 performance

If Betis came close to opening the scoring in the first half, Manuel Pellegrini’s men, deprived of their playing master Nabil Fekir (injured in the left knee), could have hoped to win the second leg, but never really believed in qualifying. Juanmi got two chances: he grazed David De Gea’s right upright from the left in the 8th minute, and lost his duel with the Spanish goalkeeper in the 32nd. And in the 11th minute, it was veteran captain Joaquin who shook the right post with a heavy long shot.

On the Mancunian side, fewer chances, but the Argentinian Facundo Pellistri was very close to opening the scoring just before the break (45th + 2), with a recovery which also hit the post. With this ticket to the quarters, Manchester still dreams of repeating its 2017 performance: under José Mourinho, and in particular thanks to a goal from Paul Pogba in the final, the Mancunians won the C3, dominating Ajax Amsterdam 2-0 in final in Solna, Sweden.

Juve also passes

In numerical superiority throughout the second period, Juventus Turin won on the lawn of Friborg (2-0) Thursday evening thanks to Vlahovic and Chiesa, and climbed into the quarter-finals of the Europa League (C3 ). Massimiliano Allegri’s men had already won 1-0 at home in the first leg on a header from Angel Di Maria, and once again dominated Friborg on Thursday, thanks to Dusan Vlahovic (45th) from the penalty spot and Federico Chiesa ( 90th+5) on a strike at the end of the game.

Thursday, the meeting changed in the 41st minute. On a shot from Moise Kean, Friborg defender Manuel Gulde, already warned a quarter of an hour earlier for a tactical foul on Adrien Rabiot, deflected the shot with his forearm. After assistance from the video, the referee of the meeting, the Dutchman Serdar Gozubuyuk, designated the penalty spot and excluded Gulde for a second yellow.

Serbian center forward Dusan Vlahovic was quick to open the scoring with a shot in the middle, which Freiburg’s Dutch goalkeeper Mark Flekken could only deflect with his knee. Vlahovic saw his goal disallowed by VAR in the 27th minute for an offside position. Until then, Freiburg had obtained the best chances, in particular on a header from Matthias Ginter repelled by the Polish goalkeeper of Juventus, Wojciech Szczesny (22nd).

Eleven against ten, Juve controlled the second half, most of the time in their own half. After a strike in added time deflected by Flekken on the crossbar, Federico Chiesa doubled the lead in the last minute (90th + 5) for Juve. Scorer in the first leg, Di Maria was not fielded by Allegri, who remained on the bench throughout the game.

The French wear the Bayer

There were no surprises for AS Roma and Bayer Leverkusen. Both winners in the first leg, respectively against Real Sociedad and Ferencvaros, the two favorites qualified for the quarter-finals. José Mourinho’s men mainly spent their evening defending in a closed match (0-0) on the lawn of the Spanish club. On the side of Hungary, Ferencvaros has not yet held against Bayer Leverkusen (0-2), well helped by its French. Selected with the Blues in the afternoon, Moussa Diaby opened the scoring (3rd). It was he again who served Bleuet Amine Adli, to double the bet (81st).