Europa League

PAUL SCHOLES was left red-faced after his overly-confident Europa League final predictions backfired. The Manchester United legend watched his former side crash to an eventful penalty defeat against Villarreal in Gdansk.
Paul Scholes has been ridiculed for his Europa League final predictionsCredit: BT Sport
The Red Devils went into the contest as heavy favourites against the Spanish side who had never lifted a major piece of silverware before last night.
But they were humbled by Villarreal with goalkeeper David De Gea missing the crucial penalty.
It appears nobody was more surprised than Scholes at United’s drab performance following his bold predictions.
Before kick-off the pundit told BT Sports: “You’re playing Villarreal here.
“You’re playing a team that finished seventh in a really poor LaLiga.
“Think of Real Madrid and Barcelona, how bad have they been? Manchester United should win this game comfortably.”
Scholes then turned his attentions to Spurs loanee Juan Foyth who was playing as a makeshift right-back.
Foyth, 23, featured just four times for Tottenham last season having struggled to impress in North London.
Juan Foyth, on loan from Spurs, enjoyed an impressive performance on the nightCredit: Getty
David De Gea missed the crucial penalty as United crashed to defeatCredit: Reuters
Scholes added: “Foyth was a bad centre back at Tottenham, now he’s playing right back, how can Rashford not destroy him?”
Foyth would keep Rashford quiet for large periods with the United forward enduring a hugely frustrating night.
And lastly Scholes was further mocked for his bold half-time prediction.
With United trailing through Gerard Moreno, he said: “I’m still confident.
“They’ve been in this position a lot of times this season. I think if they’re patient, they’ll open this team up. They’ll get one goal and two or three will come.”
Edinson Cavani did manage to equalise on 55 minutes but United failed to find the all-important second in 65 minutes of football before the 11-10 defeat on penalties.
Fans took to social media to hit out at Scholes with some labelling his comments as ‘arrogant.’

One wrote: “Hearing Paul Scholes express the all-too-common arrogance before the match makes this a bit sweeter.”
A second wrote: “How did that work out, Paul? Learn to respect teams that you don’t even watch.”
A third added: “Paul Scholes disrespected Villarreal before Europa League kick off only for United to get trashed.”
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Paul Scholes says some Man Utd players don’t care after seing his team lose Europa League final More

OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER has explained why he did not replace David de Gea with Dean Henderson ahead of last night’s penalty shootout defeat to Villarreal.The Red Devils lost the Europa League final in dramatic fashion as the Spanish side scored all of their penalties to win the spot-kick lottery 11-10.
David de Gea missed the crucial spot-kick and failed to save one as Man Utd lost the Europa League finalCredit: PA
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Not only did stopper De Gea fail to save a single one of Villarreal’s efforts, he was also the unfortunate one to miss as the LaLiga outfit claimed the prize.
That continued De Gea’s poor penalty record – which now stands at 40 without a save.
United boss Solskjaer decided to keep faith with the 30-year-old in Gdansk despite Henderson rivalling him for No1 in the Premier League.
In addition, the English ace has also saved six of the most recent penalties he has faced going back to his time on-loan with Sheffield United.
Norwegian Solskjaer did admit he considered bringing him off the bench should the game go to a shoot-out.
But ultimately he wanted to stick with the keeper who had played the full game.
Afterwards he said: “You go through every scenario, of course.
“And it had crossed my mind in the build-up to the game but we were confident in David and prepared.
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“Anything can happen in a penalty shootout. I stuck with the ‘keeper who played all of the game.
“I’ve got to say the penalty shootout was high quality, but we didn’t do enough in the 120 minutes to score more goals and that’s the disappointing bit.
“We had pressure, we had moments where we felt if we can just kick on a little bit now we can get a goal. But we just couldn’t.”
But the Old Trafford manager, who is still searching for his first piece of silverware, did not want to blame anyone after the heartbreaking defeat.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has revealed why he stuck with the Spaniard for penaltiesCredit: Getty
Sir Alex Ferguson consoles the Spaniard after his penalty missCredit: PA
De Gea failed to make a single save during the shootoutCredit: Rex
The United boss admits he did consider bringing on Dean Henderson for the spot-kicksCredit: Reuters
“Now is not the time to point the finger on what I would have done differently but when you come out without a trophy then you haven’t done everything right.
“When you turn up with no trophy, you’re not doing everything right. We were one kick away from a trophy.
“We need to get better, we’ve done really well, coming through a difficult start and got closer to the top and hit to a final but you need to win these finals to make it a successful season
“We’ve built a strong squad, competitive squad, they’re gutted in there.”
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Villarreal players celebrate on the pitch after beating Man Utd 11-10 on penalties to win the Europa League More

DAVID DE GEA conceded his 38th penalty in a row before missing his own spot-kick in Manchester United’s dramatic loss to VillarrealThe goalkeeper, 30, suffered Europa League final heartbreak after he stepped up to take the 22nd kick in the incredible showpiece shootout.
David De Gea has not saved any of the last 38 penalties he has faced – including all 11 of Villarreal’s in the Europa League finalCredit: Reuters
The Spanish goalkeeper saw his own penalty saved as Villarreal were crowned championsCredit: AFP
Devastation for David De Gea 😫A penalty shoot-out that went all the way to the goalkeepers, but it was Villarreal that came out on top in the end… 🟡What a dramatic ending! #UELfinal pic.twitter.com/9kmoi6lCEa— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) May 26, 2021

But while he would not have been expected to be required to find the net with his strike, the Spaniard failed to keep out ANY of Villarreal’s 11 penalties, including goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli’s, in a dramatic shootout finale.
That extended the £375,000-a-week star’s miserable unwanted record between the sticks for spot-kicks to 38 without a single save for club and country.
Incredibly, the last time De Gea did keep one out was more than five years ago – the 11th penalty save of his career.
He denied then-Everton striker Romelu Lukaku’s attempt in the FA Cup semi-final on April 23, 2016.
De Gea’s 38 penalties faced without a save
1 Sep 18, 2016: vs Watford, Prem  – Deeney
2 Oct 6, 2016: vs Italy, World Cup qual – De Rossi        
3 Dec 4, 2016: vs Everton, Prem – Baines
4 Jan 15, 2017: vs Liverpool, Prem – Milner
5 Jan 26, 2017: vs Hull City, League Cup – Huddlestone
6 Mar 4, 2017: vs Bournemouth, Prem – King
7 Nov 28, 2017: vs Watford, Prem – Deeney
8 May 19, 2018: vs Chelsea, FA Cup – Hazard
9 June 15, 2018: vs Portugal, World Cup – Ronaldo
10 July 1, 2018: vs Russia, World Cup – Simolov
11 July 1, 2018: vs Russia, World Cup – Ignashevich
12 July 1, 2018: vs Russia, World Cup – Golovin
13 July 1, 2018: Russia, World Cup – Cheryshev
14 Aug 19, 2018: vs Brighton, Prem – Gross 
15 Oct 28, 2018: vs Everton, Prem – Sigurdsson
16 Dec 8, 2018: vs Fulham, Prem – Kamara          
17 Dec 22, 2018: vs Cardiff, Prem – Camarasa
18 Mar 10, 2019: vs Arsenal, Prem – Aubameyang
19 May 12, 2019: vs Cardiff, Prem – Mendez-Laing
20 Dec 22, 2019: vs Watford, Prem – Deeney
21 July 4, 2020: vs Bournemouth, Prem – King
22 July 22, 2020: vsWest Ham, Prem – Antonio
23 Sep 19, 2020: vs C Palace, Prem – Zaha
24 Sep 26, 2020: vs Brighton, Prem – Maupay
25 Oct 4, 2020: vs Tottenham, Prem – Kane
26 Nov 1, 2020: vs Arsenal, Prem – Aubameyang 
27 Apr 29, 2021: vs Roma, Europa – Pellegrini        
28 May 26, 2021: vs Villarreal, Europa – G Moreno
29 May 26, 2021: vs Villarreal, Europa – Raba
30 May 26, 2021: vs Villarreal, Europa – Alcacer
31 May 26, 2021: vs Villarreal, Europa – A Moreno
32 May 26, 2021: vs Villarreal, Europa – Parejo
33 May 26, 2021: vs Villarreal, Europa – Gomez
34 May 26, 2021: vs Villarreal, Europa – Albiol
35 May 26, 2021: vs Villarreal, Europa – Coquelin
36 May 26, 2021: vs Villarreal, Europa – Mario
37 May 26, 2021: vs Villarreal, Europa – Tortres
38 May 26, 2021: vs Villarreal, Europa – Rulli

Since then, Lukaku has signed for United for £75m, left for Inter for £73m, won the Serie A title and been linked with a return to the Premier League.
Interestingly, in that same time period, Dean Henderson – left on the bench tonight – has eight penalty saves, six of those in senior football.
Three of those came with Shrewsbury in 2017-18, two on loan at Sheffield United including to deny Gabriel Jesus last year, and one in the Europa League earlier this season for United.
The other two were with England Under-21s at the Euros in 2019, both against France.
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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer threw on Juan Mata and Alex Telles in the final moments of extra-time and they duly dispatched their penalties.
But he opted against a Tim Krul-esque switch of goalkeeper for a penalty-saving specialist.
The crushing defeat means United’s wait for a trophy will stretch into a fifth year.
A dejected De Gea walked past the trophy after collecting his runners-up medalCredit: Reuters

Bruno Fernandes cries as Man Utd lose on penalties to Villarreal in the Europa League final More

WILL Ole Gunnar Solskjaer ever have a better chance than this? A season-defining fixture, against an opposition made up of inferior individuals, with an opportunity to feed their extraordinary habit of securing comeback victories. 
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer blew the chance to end Man Utd’s trophy drought against VillarrealCredit: Reuters
When Edinson Cavani equalised early in the second half, it felt for all the world as if the momentum was with Manchester United – who had chalked up 12 victories this season having fallen behind.   
Chuck in the fact that this was the 22nd anniversary of Solskjaer capping United’s most famous comeback of all in that Champions League Final against Bayern Munich in the Nou Camp, and a United victory felt inevitable. 
Yet United blew it in a ridiculously long penalty shoot-out and have now suffered a fourth successive season without a trophy – two and a half of them under their Norwegian club legend. 
After all of the other 21 players scored from the spot, David De Gea’s effort was saved and La Liga clubs have now prevailed in all of the last eight Anglo-Spanish European finals. 
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And it is only likely to get more difficult for Solskjaer to win silverware. 
Manchester City are the best team in the land and they strengthen every summer.
Liverpool will improve when they have central defenders, Chelsea will improve if they sign a goalscorer.  
United still appear to be at least four players short of a team capable of winning the Premier League or the Champions League. 
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They missed their captain Harry Maguire, Solskjaer appeared to mistrust his substitutes – not making a change until the 100th minute. 
And none of their potent forward players could conjure a moment to break down Unai Emery’s pig-headed Villarreal team.
It is an outdated media-driven myth – especially among broadcasters – that the vast majority of English fans still want other English clubs to win in Europe. 
In the real world, many would have been delighted to see United – one of the European Super League’s most venomous ‘snakes’ – slayed by the type of over-achieving smalltown club they had imagined themselves too big to play against.  
The civil war between United’s fans and the ruling Glazer family will rage on. Solskjaer has handled that situation with tact and diplomacy so far but it is likely to be a wearing situation. 
Still, this has been a season of limited progress for United – they led the Premier League at the halfway stage, they finished as runners-up and with an unbeaten away record. 
David De Gea fluffed his lines in the penalty shootoutCredit: AP
But you do not earn trophies for any of those feats. 
And do not forget that United would not have been in the Europa League had they not royally capitulated in their Champions League group and been parachuted into UEFA’s ‘plate’ competition. 
Still, their route to the final had not been an easy one – United defeated David Silva’s Real Sociedad, AC Milan and Roma, as Solskjaer finally won a semi-final at the fifth attempt.  
As Paul Scholes stated in no uncertain terms before kick-off, United were up against a side who had finished seventh in a ‘weak’ La Liga. 
But then there was the formidable record of Unai Emery – contesting his fifth Europa League Final in eight years, including a hat-trick of wins with Sevilla.
And Spanish clubs had won 10 of the previous 17 finals. In that time, the only Spanish defeat in this fixture came in an all-Spanish final.   
Edinson Cavani scored United’s only goal in normal timeCredit: AFP
The 2,000 United fans who braved mountains of red tape and daily deep-throat Covid tests to be in Gdansk would have liked the look of United’s starting line-up. 
Solskjaer sent out an attacking side, having often taken an overly-cautious approach in United’s biggest fixtures until now – see a spate of goalless draws against major Premier League rivals. 
Yet United lacked spark and Villarreal were patient, robust and intelligent – policing their opponents with two sturdy walls of hi-vis patrolmen, then striking through a set-piece.  
Daniel Parejo curled in a free-kick, and goal machine Gerard Moreno peeled away from Luke Shaw and got in between Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailly to poke home. 
There were flashes from Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood late in the first half but they had barely threatened before the break. 
United staged a record ten Premier League comeback victories this season, so the belief would always have remained.  
United’s loss was Villarreal’s gain in their first-ever final appearanceCredit: AFP
They began the second period with greater intent and Cavani poached an equaliser less than ten minutes in – his sixth in five Europa League games. 
Ferguson would occasionally call in a veteran gunslinger to help United to glory – Henrik Larsson, Laurent Blanc, Edwin van der Sar – and Cavani is of that grand tradition. 
It is certainly a major boost for next season that the Uruguayan has committed to United for next season. United’s youngsters have benefited from his wisdom and his workaholism. 
Cavani is certainly an ‘influencer’, even if his misuse of social media got him into strife earlier this season.
Rashford missed a glorious chance and lashed another wide, before Pogba skied a decent headed opportunity. 
Yet Pau Torres might have settled it in injury-time only to clear the top corner – and Emery’s men were the more dangerous side during extra-time.     
Then that remarkable shoot-out – De Gea failing to save any of 11 spot-kicks and ending up as the fall guy himself. 

Paul Scholes says some Man Utd players don’t care after seing his team lose Europa League final More

DAVID DE GEA was the fall guy on Manchester United’s  date with destiny.It was another dramatic end all right —  but May 26 will not feel quite as special for United now.
David de Gea was denied by Geronimo RulliCredit: Reuters
Rulli was mobbed after saving De Gea’s kickCredit: Getty
Unai Emery is thrown into the air by his victorious playersCredit: Getty
The Spaniard is consoled by Axel Tuanzebe and Dan JamesCredit: Reuters
On the date United partied in 1999 when they won the Champions League and the Treble, it all fell flat following a thrillingly long penalty shootout.
And keeper De Gea, who failed to get near any of Villarreal’s 11 spot-kicks, ended up the villain with his terrible effort being saved by Geronimo Rulli.
Villarreal, a town of 50,000, somehow managed to pull this off.
And boss Unai Emery, winner of three Europa League titles with Sevilla, has done it again.
Juan Mata, Alex Telles, Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, Edinson Cavani, Fred, Dan James, Luke Shaw, Axel Tuanzebe and Victor Lindelof all scored for the Red Devils in the shootout.
They were fine penalties apart from Shaw’s, which crept in.
Keeper Rulli scored with a brilliant effort for Villarreal’s 11th successful kick before De Gea  saw his weak, low effort stopped.
But in truth, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men had themselves to blame for not finishing the game off during the second half.
Villarreal took a surprise lead and if that was not bad enough for United’s Liverpool-hating fans, the scorer was Gerard.
De Gea suffered cup final heartacheCredit: Getty
Gerard Moreno celebrates giving Villarreal the leadCredit: AP
Moreno prods the Yellow Submarine in frontCredit: EPA
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Cavani levelled on 55 minutes after dashing back from an offside position to score, although it was still a close call and needed a VAR check.
Yet the winner in 120 minutes never came and there will be questions rightly asked about  Solskjaer’s game-management.
The Norwegian felt no need to introduce any subs until well into extra-time, while  Emery made five changes in the 90 minutes.
United’s first change came in the 100th minute with midfielder Fred replacing attacker Mason Greenwood, who had a decent game.
It was a conservative change but Villarreal, who finished seventh in LaLiga, were just beginning to take control.
Generally, though, this was a scrappy performance from United despite all their possession. And for periods it was hard to watch.
Solskjaer was furious through a sloppy first-half display which saw his side rarely threaten.
The second period was much better but, as you would expect with only a few fans inside the ground, the atmosphere remained a bit weird for a  European final.
In a gate of more than 9,000, there were 2,000 tickets for each club with the rest going to locals.
But throughout the day, and also inside the stadium, it felt like there were more Spanish than  English supporters — and they were certainly the noisier.
Of those wearing Manchester United shirts, many were Polish.
Edinson Cavani equalises for UnitedCredit: AP
The Uruguayan celebrates putting the Red Devils levelCredit: AFP
It was an attack-minded side from Solskjaer, with Fred making way for Paul Pogba to start in central midfield and Greenwood — who squeezed into Gareth Southgate’s 33-man provisional England squad — starting out wide.
United’s players took the knee before kick-off — Villarreal’s did not — and they started off on the front foot but without any major success.
Scott McTominay and Shaw screwed shots wide without troubling Villarreal keeper Rulli
Juan Foyth, on loan from Spurs, suffered a bloody facial injury that required  a bandage and a fresh yellow shirt after Pogba fell on him.
Yeremi Pino had a goalbound shot deflected for a corner by McTominay.
Yet the Spaniards were perfectly happy to sit back and offered  virtually nothing going forward.
So it was a surprise when they struck the first blow thanks to a free-kick needlessly conceded by Cavani, although both De Gea and Pogba were guilty of losing  possession before that.
Dani Parejo’s delivery to the far post was outstanding and Gerard Moreno peeled away from Shaw and found space between Lindelof and Eric Bailly before prodding the ball past De Gea from just outside the six-yard box.
Incredibly, it was the first goal between these two teams after four successive goalless draws.
United’s bewildered defenders looked at each other.
Harry Maguire, not fit enough to start, was  on the bench knowing that he would have got his head to the delivery.
Going behind failed to spark United into action.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer barks instructionsCredit: Reuters
Unai Emery cajoles his playersCredit: Getty
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Their play was low-tempo and directionless and  Rashford made constant mistakes.
United’s best chance of the opening 45 minutes came through Villarreal defender Raul Albiol, as he sent Greenwood’s cross back towards the goal but fortunately, it was straight at keeper Rulli.
There was chaos at the start of the second half as Villarreal attempted to score from a goal-mouth scramble after Bailly.
United got away with it — then failed to land a penalty from VAR after Greenwood was kicked by Alfonso Pedraza.
But their luck soon changed. Shaw’s corner was headed clear by Albiol but only to Rashford, and while his volley was blocked, the ball fell perfectly for Cavani to drive a shot under Rulli.
After an agonising wait for another VAR check for offside on Cavani, French referee Clement Turpin pointed to the centre circle.
Rashford delivered a contender for miss of the season from eight yards — so he was probably thankful it would have been ruled offside had he scored.
Cavani had a header blocked but with Villarreal defending for their lives, a United winner looked likely but did not materialise.
Villarreal improved in extra-time and while they are an unremarkable team, they got over the line in a dramatic penalty shootout.
United were watched on by a very special guestCredit: AP
Spurs loanee Juan Foyth was left bloodied and bruisedCredit: AP
Man United fans were there in their numbersCredit: AFP
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Ole Gunner Solskjaer gives his thoughts after Man Utd Europa League Final loss More