United drawn with Sevilla in UEFA Champions League

The Reds topped Group A to set up the two-legged meeting against the Spanish side, with the first tie away from home on 13/14 or 20/21 February before the return clash at Old Trafford on 6/7 or 13/14 March.

The two clubs have never played before in an official competition, although Sevilla did win Rio Ferdinand's testimonial match 3-1 at Old Trafford in 2013.

Eduardo Berizzo's side came back from 3-0 down to draw with Group E winners Liverpool earlier in the competition.

MORE ON SEVILLA

Status: Group E runners-up.
Manager: Eduardo Berizzo.
Group story: The Spanish side have been European experts in recent years and a draw with Maribor completed a nine-point haul in Liverpool's group. Sevilla showed their battling qualities to fight back from a 3-0 deficit to earn a 3-3 draw with Jurgen Klopp's side on home turf and are specialists in two-legged ties.
Star player: Wissam Ben Yedder.
Record v Reds: The clubs have never faced each other in an official competition, although Sevilla did win Rio Ferdinand's testimonial match 3-1 at Old Trafford in 2013.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ROUND OF 16

Juventus v Tottenham
Basel v Manchester City
Porto v Liverpool
Sevilla v United
Real Madrid v Paris Saint-Germain
Shakhtar Donetsk v Roma
Chelsea v Barcelona
Bayern Munich v Beskitas

The 16 teams are battling it out for the right to play in the showpiece final in Kiev, Ukraine, next May.

ANALYSIS 

ManUtd.com’s Mark Froggatt…

While there are no easy games in the Champions League, United’s pairing with Sevilla is certainly a good result considering competition favourites Bayern Munich, Juventus and Real Madrid were among the six clubs who we could have been pitted against.

Jose Mourinho may be a little disappointed to have missed a reunion with his former club FC Porto, with whom he lifted the European Cup in 2005, but the manager will definitely be happy that his players do not need to complete the 3,200-mile round trip to Shakhtar Donetsk.

The news has also been greeted by supporters that regularly travel to the European aways, due to the warm weather and culture that will greet them in Seville, the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Andalusia in Spain. The 42,714-capacity Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium is also known to generate a fine atmosphere, and particularly on big Champions League nights. 

To sum up this Round of 16 draw: it could have been far, far worse. 

'WE CAN'T HAVE TOO MANY COMPLAINTS'

Denis Irwin on MUTV; "I don't think there were any easy draws for us but we have to accept it isn't the worst draw. It is couple of hours away, we know Sevilla very well, they obviously drew with Liverpool twice in the group stage, it is away first, which helps us a little bit, so I don't think we can have too many complaints. We could have travelled to Shakhtar, which wouldn't have been ideal, and Porto would have been similar to Sevilla, but we avoided three of the big guns in Juventus, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.

"We know they will be technically very, very good. We have played enough teams from La Liga to know that. They'll be very comfortable on the ball. But we also know that Liverpool went 3-0 up against them so they could be defensively vulnerable. On the flip side of that, they can score goals too because they came back to draw that game 3-3. There is a lot of time between now and then, but I am sure the manager will have his scouts looking at them and come February we will be ready for it."

'IT'S A GREAT TRIP FOR THE FANS'

 Bryan Robson on MUTV: "It's a pretty good draw. We have stayed away from the big boys, but you cannot disrespect Sevilla. They are a decent side and the Spanish always keep possession really well. But I think we have a great chance of progressing to the next round. We are playing away first so we have home advantage in the second leg. All in, it's a good draw. You know that they're a decent side because they have three Europa League titles on their belt in recent years. We've seen them give Liverpool two good games this season, so it will be tough, but we have avoided the big teams. It is a beautiful city, too. I played there years ago with West Brom against Real Betis. It was a lovely place. It's a great trip for the fans and not too far for the team."