Sevilla manager Jose Luis Mendilibar says the news that Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford will be absent for the first leg of the Europa League quarter-final on Thursday has “not changed anything”
for his side.
The Spanish club, who have triumphed in the competition a record six times, take on United at Old Trafford with both sides vying to gain an advantage ahead of next week's second leg.
Ahead of the match, and a training session for his side on the pitch in M16, Mendilibar conducted a pre-match press conference alongside club captain Ivan Rakitic.
The Sevilla boss was asked about the approach his side would take for the match, given the news that Rashford would be out for the next few games.
“No it's not changed anything,”
he replied. “For the players that will play in our defence, if Rashford plays or another opponent plays it might be different for those defenders, but it won't be any different for us.
”We knew about the injury at the weekend but at no point have we adjusted the tactics or how we play because whether he plays or not they [Manchester United] have fantastic players.
“He has been playing as a lone forward but they have other forwards in that position. Whoever plays, we know that whoever comes in for Rashford will be just as good.”
Mendilibar addressed claims that United are favourites coming into this tie, stating that Sevilla's European pedigree makes his side a threat for Erik ten Hag's team.
“[It is] my first game in the Europa League managing a team. I face up to it with an amazing willingness to play this game and compete in this game,”
he said.
“The idea will always be to respect our opponents and try to win the game. I am convinced they will try and win this game too and our history, as Sevilla, is perhaps even bigger than theirs. We are going to focus on the game to compete and focus on winning it.
”We have to compete against them. We have to compete with the weapons we have. [They are] at such a high level, Manchester United, we know that. They have so many players and a big budget.“
Rakitic shared his manager's view, and reiterated that both he and his team-mates are firmly fixed on Europa League glory this term.
“Manchester United will be favourites, but the history of Sevilla in the Europa League, we want to continue that.
We compete really, really well in training sessions and I think the [manager] has come with that same belief to keep doing well and have an important say in the Europa League.
”
“We want to compete tomorrow. We have prepared in the best way possible and the idea of going home and being alive, I don't like that expression.
”This is our competition.“