Harry Maguire and David De Gea errors bookended an embarrassing 3-0 defeat at Sevilla as Manchester United’s Europa League dreams went up in smoke in Spain.
A week on from blowing a comfortable two-goal lead in the first leg of their quarter-final, the Red Devils withered rather than rallied at the rocking Estadio Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan on Thursday.
Youssef En-Nesyri capitalised on a Maguire mistake and, after Loic Bade’s header, punished De Gea’s slip in a 3-0 win that saw United make a humiliating Europa League exit 5-2 on aggregate.
The Red Devils had knocked out Barcelona and Real Betis to reach this stage, but for the sixth season running their European dreams ended in defeat to Spanish opposition.
Sevilla began that run in 2018 and had the visitors on the backfoot from the outset on Thursday, when Erik ten Hag’s call for his players to keep their cool fell on deaf ears.
The home side’s pressure forced Maguire into an error from a poor De Gea pass out, with Erik Lamela winning the ball and En-Nesyri striking home in the seventh minute.
Lucas Ocampos had a goal disallowed and abject United were fortunate not to be further behind at the break, only to concede again 76 seconds after the restart.
Bade, who started the season on loan at Nottingham Forest, headed home and the absentee-hit visitors’ response was desperate and disjointed as they failed to claw one back.
In fact, things got even worse as En-Nesyri scored from distance into an empty net after De Gea failed to clear a high ball.
Record Europa League winners Sevilla, who will continue their quest for a seventh title, are joined by Bayer Leverkusen who earned a 4-1 win at Union Saint-Gilloise.
Juventus were held to a 1-1 draw at Sporting, but moved into the next stage thanks to the 1-0 win in the first leg.
Sevilla set up a meeting with Juventus, while Leverkusen will face the winner of the tie between AS Roma and Feyenoord.
Leverkusen made it to the semi-finals of the Europa League for the first time ever despite a 1-1 draw at home last week.
They had the perfect start as Moussa Diaby found the opener with only two minutes played and Mitchel Bakker doubled their lead in the 38th.
Jeremie Frimpong added a third in the 61st and Casper Terho pulled one back four minutes later but Adam Hlozek sealed the win for the German side.
Juventus and Sporting entertained in their clash on Thursday before the Italians progressed.
Juve took an early lead through midfielder Adrien Rabiot who netted from close range after nine minutes following a corner.
Sporting winger Marcus Edwards equalised from the penalty spot in the 20th minute when he sent keeper Wojciech Szczesny the wrong way with a strike into the middle of the goal after Rabiot was penalised for a tackle on Manuel Ugarte.
A lively clash continued after the break as Sporting pressed with confidence for possession but defenders Ricardo Esgaio and Sebastian Coates squandered three late chances to level the tie.
Meanwhile Socceroos goalkeeper Mat Ryan was the star as his AZ Alkmaar team progressed to the semi-finals of the UEFA Conference League on Thursday, beating Belgian side RSC Anderlecht on penalties after winning 2-0 in normal time.
AZ scored all four penalties that they took in the shootout, with youngster Mexx Meerdink scoring the winning penalty. Ex-Ajax defender Jan Vertonghen and Killian Sardella’s penalties were saved by Ryan.
A two-goal deficit from the first leg was wiped out by AZ inside 13 minutes after Evangelos Pavlidis slotted in an early penalty then swiftly added a second which was given following a VAR review.
With neither side able to find a winner before the end of extra-time, as Jens Odgaard saw his goal for the hosts ruled out for offside, it was down to a penalty shootout.
Australian No.1 Ryan then emerged the hero, producing two fine saves to break Anderlecht hearts.
Alkmaar will now meet UK club West Ham, who marched into the last four with a 4-1 win over Gent at the London Stadium to complete a 5-2 aggregate win.
A mistake from Lucas Paqueta allowed Hugo Cuypers to put the Belgians in front after 26 minutes but Michail Antonio’s header soon had the Irons level.
West Ham were awarded a penalty early in the second half following a VAR review of a handball, with Paqueta making amends for his earlier error to coolly dispatch the spot-kick.
Captain Declan Rice added a third just a couple of minutes later with a fine solo goal after running from inside his own half.
Antonio drilled in a fourth, with Jarrod Bowen then seeing his effort ruled out for handball in the build-up as David Moyes’ side continued their European adventure.
Moyes branded Rice West Ham’s “Roy of the Rovers” after his memorable goal.
Rice scored a goal Roy Race, the comic book hero of Melchester Rovers, would have been proud of.
The England midfielder won the ball in his own half, took the return ball off Paqueta and ran fully 60 yards, evading two challenges before slotting the ball home.
“Certainly it was a fabulous individual goal,” said Moyes.
“It was a Roy of the Rovers goal. You dribble, you beat somebody, you do it again and you go on and score. He’s some player, he’s got great ability and that goal just summed him up tonight.”
Fiorentina held off a fightback by Lech Poznan to progress 6-4 on aggregate despite a 3-2 defeat in the second leg at Stadio Artemio Franchi.
The Italians had looked in control of the tie after a 4-1 away victory, but Poznan hit back to level the tie after an early goal from Afonso Sousa was followed up by a penalty from Kristoffer Velde.
Artur Sobiech made it 3-0 on the night with 20 minutes left.
Fiorentina, though, got themselves back in front in the tie through Riccardo Sottil before Gaetano Castrovilli made sure of the result with another goal in stoppage time.
Basel came through extra-time to beat Nice 2-1 at the Allianz Riviera for a 4-3 aggregate victory.
Gaetan Laborde put the French side ahead in the ninth minute. Basel, though, mounted a comeback as Jean-Kevin Augustin levelled late on.
Kasim Adams’ header eight minutes into the first period of extra-time eventually settled matters.
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