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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Josh Williams

Manchester United could face some familiar faces at their Europa League opponents

Manchester United still have plenty to play for this season. The Reds may not be able to win the Premier League, but they are through to the semi-final of the FA Cup and they are also looking forward to competing in latter stages of the Europa League.

If United progress beyond LASK - which is highly likely considering they won the first leg by five goals to nil - they will face either Copenhagen or Istanbul Basaksehir in the next round.

The Turkish outfit secured a narrow 1-0 win in the first leg meaning that the tie remains undecided, but which players should Solskjaer be looking ahead to facing ahead of a potential clash?

In terms of Copenhagen, the Danish team have a number of capable talents including a few ex-Premier League players.

Bryan Oviedo - the former Everton defender - has appeared three times in the competition this season, although it's worth noting that he's now 30 years-old and past his peak.

Viktor Fischer is another familiar name. The 26-year-old was considered as a prospect at Ajax some years ago but after transferring to Middlesbrough and largely failing, he now plays football in his home country.

The players who regularly deliver for the Danish outfit are less well-known, though. Pieros Sotiriou, Dame N'Doye and Michael Santos are responsible for 45.2% of the goals that Copenhagen have scored in the Superliga this season.

Istanbul Basaksehir have a squad that comprises of even more recognisable names, especially in defence. Former Liverpool centre-back, Martin Skrtel, is probably the most relevant regarding United, with the Slovakian now aged 35.

Gael Clichy is also contracted to the Turkish club, having left Manchester City three years ago on a free transfer. The ex-Arsenal full-back features prominently for his team, having appeared nine times in the Europa League and 28 times in the Turkish top-flight this season.

Further up the field, Demba Ba regularly finds the net for the Istanbul club. He's now 35 years old but has scored a total of 13 goals in all competitions this year, placing him behind only two teammates, Edin Visca and Enzo Crivelli.

Perhaps the most surprising player involved is Robinho. The Brazilian spent his peak years playing for Real Madrid and Manchester City but he's now aged 36 and simply isn't as good as he once was. It's reasonable to suggest that if he does feature, it'll probably be as a substitute.

The draw for United is favourable - and the Reds could be about to face some familiar foes when the European tournament eventually restarts.

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