Manchester United’s Europa League campaign came to a disappointing end as they suffered a 5-2 aggregate loss to Sevilla in the semi-finals of the competition.

The match started with United enjoying the bulk of the possession in the opening exchanges, but disaster struck in the ninth minute when Harry Maguire made a costly error. His attempt to play out from the back saw him give the ball away, allowing Youssef En-Nesyri to stab home from close range and give Sevilla a slim lead in the tie.

United’s woes continued as they struggled to create meaningful chances, while Sevilla looked threatening on the counter-attack. The Red Devils narrowly avoided falling further behind before half-time when Lucas Ocampos’ curling shot from inside the box found the back of the net but was ruled out for offside.

The second half got off to a disastrous start for United as Loïc Badé headed home a corner in off the bar, stunning United and giving Sevilla a two-goal cushion in the tie.

United tried to mount a comeback, but their efforts were in vain as they were dealt a final blow when David de Gea made a shocking error, allowing Youssef En-Nesyri to waltz into an empty net with the ball at his feet. The goal effectively ended United’s hopes of reaching the final and put the final nail in the coffin for the Red Devils.

Despite the result, Manchester United can take pride in their performance in the competition, having come through a tough group stage and knockout rounds to reach the semi-finals. However, the defeat to Sevilla is a bitter pill to swallow for Erik ten Hag’s side, who will now turn their focus to the Premier League and other domestic competitions.