Match report:
Full-time: Celta Vigo 0-1 Manchester United
United were a cut above their hosts and return with a deserved victory. In fact, they were several cuts above their hosts and would have returned with a bigger victory if not for shabby finishing. But Celta showed nothing to suggest that they can overturn this result at Old Trafford. That means another home draw will be good enough for United, which might be just as well. If I were a fan of United or Ajax, I’d be booking a hotel in
Cardiff
Solna.
Updated
90+4 min: Aspas wins a freekick after falling over following a hand-off by Valencia. It’s curled into the area, but Fellaini heads it clear on the penalty spot.
90+3 min: United are starting to drop a little deeper ...
Celta substitution: Beauvue on, Mallo off.
90 min: There will be at least five more minutes of Celta running into the United wall.
Updated
United substitution: Smalling on Young off.
89 min: That block appears to have taken a toll on Young. He’s sitting on the floor now, feeling his hamstring. It wouldn’t be a United match if the didn’t lose a couple of players to injury. Good thing they have a first-team squad of 196 players.
88 min: Good defending by Young, who hared back to block a cross by Mallo. As a bonus, the ball ricocheted off Mallo and out for a goal kick to United.
86 min: Alvarez goes for a wander. Pogba decides to teach him some discipline by lashing at goal from a 40-yard freekick wide on the left. It would have embarrassed the keeper if it had been on target, as opposed to a couple of yards wide.
83 min: Sisto pings in a cross from the left. Bailly dives at the feet of Guidetti to head it clear! That’s why they (should) call him the Ivorian Kevin Moran.
81 min: Celta forage gamely for an opening. But there are none. United have put the clamp on.
United substitutions: Young and Martial on, Mkhitaryan and Rashford off. The youngster looks like he might have picked up a strain of some sort, as he’s hobbling off. But the Celta players figure he’s wasting time - so they take in turns to go over urge him to hurry the hell up.
77 min: It’s looking highly unlikely given how blunt Celta look up front but, with 13 minutes to go, there’s still time for United to find a way to nick a 1-1 draw.
75 min: A shot by Mkhitaryan is blocked but rebounds into the path of Lingard, who lets fly from 13 yards. He was off-balance and over-eager and the shot flashes several yards wide.
Celta substitution: Jozabed on, Wass off.
73 min: Sisto dances past Mkhitaryan and is then felled in midfield by Fellaini. Celta takes the freekick quickly - and that’s the start of an excellent, fast-flowing move that culminates with Aspas trying to turn the ball into the United net from 12 yards. It whizzes just past the post.
71 min: Rashford takes a short corner to Mkhitaryan, whose cross is poor, straight at Alavares.
69 min: That really was an exquisite goal. Celta have not shown that they have anyone with that sort of class up front so United really should go on to win this.
GOAL! Celta 0-1 United (Rashford 67)
What a way to apply justice! Rashford dusts himself down after the foul and then steps up to sweep the ball majestically over the wall and into the corner of the goal! it was the corner covered by Alvares, to boot, but the goalkeeper hadn’t anticipated Rashford being so brazen so had started to move towards the other one, and by the time he realised what Rashford was up to, it was too late.
Updated
66 min: Rashford knocks the ball past Mallo and chases after it. Mallo realises how fast he is and steps across to block him. Freekick to United about four yards outside the area, to the right.
65 min: Romero collects the corner with authority, then flings the ball out to Lingard.
64 min: Alvares punts the ball downfield, and Guidetti harasses Bailly into conceding a corner.
62 min: Oh dear. Rashford gallops free down the left after skipping past Cabral on halfway. He has team-mates streaming into the box in anticipation of a through-ball. But he decides to have a shot himself ... and mis-hits it, shanking the ball out for a throw-in. Usually he makes impeccable decisions - it’s one of the things that makes him such an impressive teenager - but he goofed there.
59 min: From almost exactly the same spot as Rashford’s excellent shot in the first half, Sisto tries to do a little better: and he’s helped by a slight deflection off Valencia. But Romero kept his eye on the ball and tipped it over the bar!
57 min: Celta keep the ball for several minutes, trying in vain to shift the United defence. They make no ground.
Updated
54 min: Corner to United, quietly won by Valencia. Rashford sends over an out-swinger. It’s a rubbish delivery and easily cleared. “They’re all good points,” admits MIke Wilner re: our half-time pow-wow. “Here’s what I’m looking for. Arsenal win the FA Cup, but United fall short against Celta or Ajax. Their League Cup win gets both sides into next year’s Europa League. Dream final of Wenger and Mou? Specialists in failure, indeed.” You do know that they’ve be facing each other this weekend in a joust for fifth place in the Premier League?
52 min: Wass is left free between United’s midfield and defence to pick a pass. He picks a good one, clipping it over to Aspas, who flicks a good header towards goal from the penalty spot. Just wide.
50 min: Pogba tries to steer a side-footer into the net from 20+ yards, but he was leaning back and skied it.
49 min: Tidy interplay between Fellaini and Rashford, who slips the ball wide to Lingard. The winger fires in a low cross that’s diverted behind at the near post. United’s corner comes to nothing. But the visitors have made a strong start to the half, just as they did in the first.
47 min: Freekick to Celta mid-way inside the United half. The heavy artillery rumbles up from the back. Wass delivers. Bailly clears.
46 min: The players return for the second half with the theme tune from the A-team blaring over the stadium PA. And what a reaction it gets from both sets of fans! But which manager’s plan is going to come together?
“Really enjoying the comedic value of the halftime music in the stadium drowning out Rio Ferdinand and Michael Owen on BT Sport,” croons Woolie Madden.
“I’m enjoying the Europa League this season, and grudgingly admire Mourinho for taking it seriously.” announces Mike Wilner. “But, if he wins the damned thing, do we reevaluate his ‘specialist in failure’ dig at Arsene? Winning a tournament of fifth place teams and Champions League third place washouts feels like the epitome of unsuccessful success. Or Arsene can just walk over and patronisingly ruffle Mourinho’s hair...” I hear what you’re saying, Mike, but the Europa League offers an actual trophy, unlike the imaginary one Wenger habitually awards himself for finishing in the top four. It is, as such, a much better way of reaching the Champions League (would Spurs fans rather finish second this season or win the Europa League?). Plus, winning it would give Mourinho another one over Wenger, who lost in the final in 2000. What’s more, Wenger might not be so sniffy about the Europa League when Arsenal are vying for a quarter-final spot in it next season.
Half-time: Celta Vigo 0-0 Man United
It’s been an absorbing enough game for the neutral but probably an intensely frustrating one for Mourinho: his team really should be at least a goal in front but have failed to take three clear chances. Alvares’ save from Rashford’s curler was splendid but he should not have been able to get to later efforts by Mkhitaryan and, especially, Lingard. It’s not clear that Celta have quite enough quality to punish United even if they do put themselves about up front.
43 min: Fast-paced and feisty again. “This game is tailor made for Pogba, a lot of space in the middle of the park for those lung-busting midfield forays,” riffs Ciarán Brennan. “I can already see the youtube goals and skills video now, most likely with a synthy dance remix in the background.”
41 min: Guidetti, Cela’s best attacker, barges down the left flank and then digs out a cross to the back post. Aspas arrives but can’t get enough meat on the header, offering an easy save to Romero.
39 min: United squander another chance! Rashford edged the ball through to Lingard, who shot from 16 yards, only to be denied yet again by Alvares! The keeper should’t have had any chance there, it was a shoddy finish by Lingard.
Updated
35 min: Pogba releases Mkhitaryan with a sharp pass from midfield. Alvares dahses out to narrow the angle for Mkhitaryan, who lets fly with a low shot from 15 yards. Alvares stick out his left leg to divert it wide! It’s a fine save, but Mourinho will be aghast at another missed chance: he knows that United have been punished for them constantly throughout this season.
33 min: The first yellow card of the match is shown to a United player for ungainly contact with an opponent in midfield. Go on, guess who? In fairness to Fellaini, he didn’t actually commit a foul even though his opponent went down, it was a case of the ref judging a book by its clumsy cover.
Updated
32 min: United threaten on the counter-attack. Herrera flipped in a dinky cross from the left with the outside of his boot. He was aiming for Lingard but a defender got a slight touch to it, forcing Lingard to adjust his run .. and miss the ball. That was a vital touch, otherwise Lingard would have been sure(ish) to tap into the net from six yards.
Updated
30 min: Romero makes his first save, from a well-struck 18-yard shot by Sisto.
29 min: Mallo hurls in another long throw. Pogba heads it away at the near post again.
28 min: Mallo hurls in a long throw - that’s a big weapon of his, apparently - but Pogba heads it away at the near post.
27 min: United stroke the ball around the back for bit, just to frustrate the hosts, who want to do everything at 90mph.
24 min: Guidetti is quite the nuisance to United’s defence. His bolshy style has more than a whiff of the moshpit but he’s got a bit of finesse, too. If Bailly isn’t fully fit, Guidetti will expose it.
Updated
21 min: Rashford dribbles in from the left and reaches the corner of the box. He coolly sizes up his options and then tries to send a curling shot into the top corner. It’s an excellent effort - but foiled by an even better save! Alvarez tipped it away with one hand, thwarting what would have been very similar to Ronnie Whelan’s winner against United in the 1983 Milk Cup final. Don’t you dare say you don’t remember that.
Updated
20 min: Bailly dashes across to intercept an intended pass to Aspas. That was good covering of Darmian, who got caught heading upfield.
18 min: Pogba makes good ground with a burst from midfield. He lopes towards the last defender and tries to dodge past him and set up a shot from 18 yards. But Roncaglia takes him out with a well-disguised block. Well enough disguised, at any rate, to fool the referee, who didn’t grant Pogba’s appeals for a freekick.
Updated
16 min: Bailly dithers on the ball by the right-hand touchline. Guidetti nicks it off him and then shrugs off the Ivorian’s challenge - no mean feat - and bounds towards the box. He pulls it back to Wass on the edge. But United regroup quickly and Celta can’t work a clear opening.
14 min: Aspas nutmegs Darmian, suddenly re-endearing himself to Liverpool fans.
12 min: Celta are beginning to find their rhythm, forcing United to take a couple of backward steps. It’s tight but fast-paced and feisty.
10 min: What a chance! From a throw-in on the right, Celta easily work Radoja into a crossing position and he floats a fine ball towards the back post. Bailly jumps but can’t reach it, leaving Wass with a free header from eight yards ... but he sends it wide!
7 min: Mkhitaryan rewards a smart run by Rashford with a lovely pass that sets the forward racing free down the left and towards the box. His cross is put behind for a corner. And the corner comes to nought.
5 min: Mkhitaryan outmuscling Aspas deep in United territory gives an indication of the robustness of United’s start.
3 min: It’s been a good start by United. They know Celta probably intended to come at them with both barrels early doors so they’ve turned the tables and set different terms. They’re dominating possession and are full of energy and directness (especially Rashford and Lingard).
Updated
1 min: United kick off and make an enterprising start. Rashford had a little run down the left before being cut off. Then Pogba tried to pick out Lingard with a lofted pass from deep, but he overhit it. [Insert bespoke sad face emoji].
Updated
As the players line up for the pre-match rigmarole, it’s striking how hyped up John Guidetti looks. He can’t stand still, jiggling his legs and grinning almost maniacally. He’s looking as wired as he ever has, and that could spell bother for someone, possibly him. Chances are his name will be on the scoresheet or in the ref’s notebook, at some stage. Can’t rule out both, of course.
Updated
The atmosphere in the Balaidos stadium is brilliantly loud and giddy. Most people, of course, are clad in the colours of the home team, which just happen to be Manchester City blue.
Updated
Antonio Valencia is United’s captain today. I doubt it’ll make any difference to his performance but if the gesture is intended to show other players that reliability, power, determination and intelligence are qualities to aspire too, then Valencia was well chosen.
“I have clear memories of Bilbao 5/6 years ago so am haunted that Vigo may do the same,” confesses Paul Moody. “But at least we have Darmian in case they get a free kick 20 yards out ... Uh ?” It’s a worthwhile allusion, Paul, as this Celta Vigo side play in a similar style to that Bilbao team, which, as you obviously recall, gave beat United 5-3 on aggregate and could have won by more.
Mourinho's pre-match pep talk
Asked by BT’s Des Kelly what he wants to see from his players today, Mourinho replies: “I want to see confidence. I want to see the team playing to win but feeling the game. Fight for a result that allows us to go at them in the second leg and be in the final. It’s been a long road. We want to go to the final ... We want to create danger here, we don’t want to come and just defend.”
Asked about the return of Bailly, Mourinho express his satisfaction and goes on to burn some potential excuses. “He’s playing well. He’s important but it’s also important to have a proper central defender on the bench. Having Chris [Smalling] on the bench gives me relief and stability. We know now we are covered in all positions. We have lots of experience on the bench.”
Teams
Celta Vigo: Alvarez; Mallo, Cabral, Roncaglia, Jonny; Wass, Radoja, Hernandez; Aspas, Sisto, Guidetti
Subs: Villar, Fontas, Diaz, Bongonda, Beauvue, Jozabed, Gomez
United: Romero; Valencia, Bailly, Blind, Darmian; Herrera, Pogba, Fellaini; Lingard, Rashford, Mkhitaryan
Subs: De Gea, Mata, Martial, Smalling, Carrick, Rooney, Young
Referee: S Karasev (Russia)
Updated
Preamble
Hello. Manchester United have travelled a long and rocky road to reach this semi-final, with today’s match being their 13th of a competition that Jose Mourinho did not consider a particularly gripping pursuit when he started the journey. But somewhere along the way – probably between Luhansk and Rostov – the manager came to the grudging realisation that this was his team’s best route into next season’s Champions League. So this campaign is about more than winning a trophy, it’s also about ensuring that United and Mourinho never have to play for this trophy again.
Not that this trophy should be ridiculed. It’d be a fine addition to any club’s roll of honour and United have never won it before. If Liverpool, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Juventus, Ajax and Internazionale aren’t too arrogant to have won it, then why should United be? They shouldn’t and, in fairness to Jose Mourinho, he has approached it with seriousness from the outset, even if it wasn’t his main target. The only valid way to suggest you’re too good for a competition is to go win it. Or qualify for a better one. Or both, which is what United are aiming to do this season.
It’s probably OK to ridicule the Intertoto Cup. That is the only European silverware that Celta Vigo have ever won. That was back in 2000 and the following year they came close to winning a significant domestic honour but were beaten in the final of the Copa del Rey. So they’re no giants. But they’re a decent enough side, all the same, and certainly have the skills and attitude to trouble United. Their manager, Eduardo Berizzo, has described their approach thus: “I think this team has an identity and they believe in this identity. A lot of pressing, a lot of possession. Believing in a sustained attack. The only way [to beat United] is to be faithful to our identity.” They’ve beaten Barcelona at home this season and drawn with Real Madrid and they’ve treated themselves to the luxury of resting players in their recent domestic outings to preserve them for this semi-final against United, perhaps the biggest tie in their history. It’s gonna be memorable. Do you really have something better to do? Well this MBM will still be here if you change your mind.
Updated
