OPINIONS: REACTION TO DRAW AT SEVILLA
ManUtd.com has gathered a selection of post-match quotes from the players and manager Jose Mourinho following Manchester United’s goalless draw against Sevilla on Wednesday night.
The UEFA Champions League last-16 tie is finely poised heading into the second leg at Old Trafford next month after the first-leg stalemate at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium.
Mourinho, David De Gea, Chris Smalling, Scott McTominay and Victor Lindelof all spoke to MUTV and BT Sport after the game and we have summarised their key points below.
Jose Mourinho: “I think the only moment where we felt relieved was in the last couple of minutes in the first half, when there were a couple of our mistakes in possession and they had a couple of good situations with two David great saves and that gave this fantastic stadium the emotion that normally they have for 90 minutes. Apart from that, I was never relieved. The game was even. The stats are what it is. Sometimes you have 15 shots, but 13 of them were what I call “statistic shots”, so I really feel that the result reflects what the game was. You ask me, ‘is it a good result?’. I say, it’s not good, it’s not bad. We have two legs to play and we have one match to decide everything at Old Trafford.”
Chris Smalling: “It opened up in the second half and obviously in the last five minutes of the first half, David made a couple of good saves but other than that they didn't really have many clear-cut chances and it's in our hands at home - you have to win at home to go through anyway. The atmosphere was very good here, you can tell it was emotional and we had to dig in at times. I think the game plan was executed as the manager wanted. I think they tired in the second half in the last 20 minutes when we applied pressure. It was very open in the second half but it's a result which means we're confident at home.”
David De Gea: “It was a good moment and a good save, of course, especially because of the moment in the game - the last minute of the first half. It was important we didn't concede a goal. We defended well. I think they had control of the game, but the result is open.”
Victor Lindelof: “Of course we wanted to score a goal. We didn't manage to do that tonight. Right now we have to rest a little bit and we can look at the game again to see where we could have done better. It's an important week for us - now we have to go back to Manchester, relax and recover because we have another important game [against Chelsea on Sunday]. It's going to be a tough game [in the second leg] but we'll be playing at home with our fans behind us and we're looking forward to that game.”
Scott McTominay: “Obviously nerves are natural, it’s how you deal with those nerves and once you go out there, you just forget about it. It’s a game of football on a pitch that you played on before, you just take from there and want to play your game. It’s a difficult place to come, Sevilla; the fans and all the players are going to be up for it when Manchester United are in town and it’s a difficult night. You have to concentrate and focus. I thought it was a good performance from the whole team, everybody played well and that’s the main thing going back to Old Trafford.”
View from the opposing dug-out – Sevilla boss Vincenzo Montella: “We had to win, and because of this, we are disappointed for the fans that have been incredible tonight. It has been a great night that could have been even better, but it's all to play for now.”
View from Twitter – @ReginaldRosario: “Two positives tonight: McTominay and De Gea. McTominay held his own and didn’t look out of place. Had
#MUFC ’s only shot on target as well. De Gea. Out of this world. The only reason we aren’t a goal behind heading into the second leg.”