'Everything changed' - Sevilla goalkeeper sends message to Man United after Europa League exit

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine Bounou thinks Manchester United helped his side to salvage their season by crashing out of the Europa League.

Ahead of the Europa League quarter-finals last month, Sevilla were sitting just above the relegation zone in La Liga and they took the decision to sack Jorge Sampaoli before naming the experienced Jose Luis Mendilibar as his successor.

Mendilibar, who has managed multiple teams in La Liga throughout his career, was brought in to save the team from relegation, but against United in the first leg of the Europa League quarter-final, a draw was secured and his priorities shifted. ALSO READ: Man United must ignore obvious Amad temptation next season United threw away a two-goal lead at Old Trafford and that set the tone for the second leg in Spain, which Sevilla won 3-0.

Sevilla goalkeeper Bounou has credited that result as the turning point for his side's season, as they're now midtable in La Liga and they have the opportunity to make the Europa League final when they face Juventus on Thursday night. "Everything changed in the second half of the first leg against Manchester United, because when we played against them, we were focused on our position in La Liga," Bounou told UEFA. "The first objective was to win more matches in the Liga and stay away from relegation.