Mourinho Raises Sevilla Scheduling Concern

Jose Mourinho feels that the scheduling of Manchester United’s UEFA Champions League last-16 tie against Sevilla, between two important Premier League games, is far from ideal.

The Reds travel to Spain for the first leg on 21 February and are due to welcome Chelsea three days later before returning to Old Trafford for the second leg on 13 March, three days after facing Liverpool at the Theatre of Dreams. All domestic fixtures are, of course, still subject to change.

It promises to be a tough period for United, who will face a first-ever competitive meeting with a Sevilla side who won the Europa League for an impressive three years in a row before the Reds claimed the trophy last season.

When asked for his thoughts on the draw, the boss pointed out that the timing of the two ties could have been better. He told MUTV: “My reaction is that Spanish teams are always good and difficult. And the draw, out of eight possibilities of dates, we got both matches against them exactly when we play against Chelsea and against Liverpool. That doesn’t make things easier for us but we will try.”

With a number of league games, a Carabao Cup quarter-final and FA Cup third-round tie to come during the busy festive period and beyond, Mourinho insists thoughts of Sevilla are on the back burner and the focus is firmly on the domestic front.

He added: “We have lots of Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup games now, we focus on the domestic competitions and we can forget the Champions League.”

United reached the knockout stages of Europe’s elite competition after qualifying as Group A winners with five wins from six games.