We take look at five interesting facts in the buildup to the game between Manchester United and Unai Emery’s Villarreal.
Manchester United are preparing to take on Villarreal tomorrow night in the UEFA Europa League final, the club’s first final in three years since the FA Cup defeat to Antonio Conte’s Chelsea in 2017.
This will be an interesting affair and will hopefully be an entertaining game. The Reds are the clear favourites heading into this fixture but they will need to be on top form to break down the resilient Villarreal.
Both sides have been in rather inconsistent form with just a combined total of four wins in ten games between them. It’s all to play for in this one and both sets of fans will be increasingly nervous as time ticks towards kick-off.
As Manchester United look to secure their first trophy under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the Europa League final in Gdansk, Poland, we decide to look at five interesting facts in the buildup to the game against Unai Emery’s Villarreal.
1. Three Players Have Transferred Between Manchester United and Villarreal
There have only been three players that have transferred between the two clubs that will be facing off in the final. The first of the three left Manchester United in 2004 to join the Spanish side. Diego Forlan played 62 games in the Premier League for United, accumulating ten goals in his time at the club. He went on to become very successful playing in a Villarreal shirt.
Next on the list is Giuseppe Rossi, an Italian forward who developed into a professional footballer through the Manchester United academy system. Whilst at United, Rossi endured several loan spells at clubs such as Newcastle United and Parma. However, following these loans, Rossi departed the club in 2007 for Villarreal, where he would find himself stationed for upwards of six years.
A more recent transaction between the two clubs saw Eric Bailly join Manchester United for a fee of £34 million. As the first player to sign for United from Villarreal, Bailly looks to play against his former side in the upcoming final. The Ivorian defender has been successful in his time at United and was there to celebrate United’s previous Europa League final win in 2017. With the possibility of Harry Maguire being sidelined for the European clash, Eric Bailly may be reunited with his former side.
2. There Have Been Four Previous Meetings Between the Two Sides
The two clubs will not be strangers as they face off in Gdansk, since the two sides have encountered one another in four previous games, all coming in the mid-2000’s.
The first two meetings came in 2005, when United and Villarreal were matched against each other in Group D of the Uefa Champions League. Fast forward three years to 2008 and the sides encountered each other again, this time in Group E of the Champions League.
If all four meetings are anything to predict how the final will play out, then United fans may be filled with despair. In only four times that the sides have met, there have been zero goals, resulting in four 0-0 draws.
It was clearly a riveting fixture in the past, and as United look to secure their first win against The Yellow Submarine, they will also be trying to score their first ever goal against them. Hopefully, the two sides look to entertain as they battle to lift the trophy.
3. Five Players Could Become The Youngest Goal Scorers in an Europa League Final
The current record holder is Vagner Love, who scored for CSKA Moskva against Sporting Lisbon. He was only 20 years and 341 days old when he set the record, and his record has not been challenged since it was set in 2005.
However, with United’s history of homegrown youngsters and as the Reds look as youthful as ever, there are five possible candidates in the travelling squad who will be eager to shatter the record in Gdansk, while also spurring the team on to win the silverware.
The five players include Brandon Williams (20 years 265 days), Mason Greenwood (19 years 237 days), Amad Diallo (18 years 319 days), Shola Shoretire (17 years 115 days) and Anthony Elanga (19 years 29 days).
4. Shola Shoretire Could Become The Youngest Player to Feature in an European Final
Shola Shoretire has been a familiar name on the list of players in the United squad as of late. The 17 year old forward has broken into the first team after some incredible performances in the under-23s and under-18s.
Shoretire won the Young Player of the Year award for his outstanding efforts in the 2020/21 campaign and now he is in the travelling squad for an European final. In the event that Shoretire features at any point in the game, he will become the youngest player to feature in an European final.
The record was actually set against United in 2017, when they defeated Ajax to win their first ever Europa League trophy. Matthijs De Ligt holds the current record as he was only 17 years and 285 days old on the day of the final. Shoretire could break that record by being only 17 years and 115 days old.
5. Ole’s Record as a Manager Vs. Unai Emery
This will be the sixth time that Ole is facing off with Unai Emery, after the two have met in bouts in the Premier League as well as the Europa League.
The first two times the pair faced each other was in 2016, when Molde took on Sevilla in the intermediate stages of the Europa League. Between the first and second leg, Ole won one and Emery won the other.
The pair promptly met again as they both secured significant jobs managing Premier League sides. Solskjaer would go on to defeat Emery in the FA Cup and lose to him in the Premier League during the 18/19 season. Then in their most recent meeting ahead of the final, the pair drew 1-1 at Old Trafford.
With silverware on the line, Ole will be hoping to secure his first trophy with United whilst also pushing ahead in his head to head record with Emery.
Originally published for The United Stand.
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