There is a lot at stake in Bucharest on matchday eight of the UEFA Europa League (UEL), as both FCSB and Manchester United are currently in the top eight. If they fail to win, both teams risk falling into the knockout play-off positions. The hosts, in particular, need to overcome a dismal seven-match losing streak against English opponents in order to secure their automatic spot in the last 16.
For FCSB, progressing to the next phase of the UEL is already a commendable achievement. Regardless of the outcome here, they will move past the first phase for the first time since 2017/18. They come into this match in good form, having avoided defeat in all three of their matches since returning from the winter break (W2, D1). One of their wins included a comeback victory against Qarabağ on matchday seven of the UEL, where they had to come from behind twice.
The atmosphere and outcomes are definitely improving at Manchester United, despite the fact that the performances are not quite keeping up. On Sunday night, the Red Devils secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Fulham, marking their fourth win in five matches across all competitions (with one loss). This streak includes a thrilling 2-1 win over Rangers in the UEFA Europa League last week, maintaining their unbeaten start in the tournament (4 wins, 3 draws).
Their last four European matches have resulted in four consecutive wins, putting United on the verge of achieving a five-match winning streak in the UEFA Europa League for only the second time. Their historical head-to-head record against Romanian opponents is almost flawless, with 5 wins and just 1 loss. However, their last encounter with CFR Cluj in the 2012/13 season ended in defeat. Additionally, they have gone unbeaten in their last six away matches in the group stage/league phase of this competition since their last loss in November 2019 (4 wins, 2 draws).
Players to keep an eye on: Adrian Șut broke his ten-month goal drought by scoring two goals against Qarabağ last week. This was his sixth goal in the last seven matches for FCSB, where he scored the team’s opening goal. Lisandro Martínez, the Manchester United defender, is excelling in an attacking role under Amorim. He has scored twice in his last five games and also provided an assist for the Red Devils’ winning goal against Rangers last week.
Interesting fact: FCSB has only lost three out of their last 22 home games in the UEL group stage/league phase (W11, D8).
