Who Man Utd can face in Europa League play-off as Barcelona among opponents

Manchester United failed to top their Europa League group despite beating Real Sociedad 1-0 on Thursday, ensuring that Erik ten Hag and co will take part in a play-off round next year

Barcelona and Juventus are two of Manchester United’s eight potential opponents for their Europa League play-off next year.

Despite recording a 1-0 win away to Real Sociedad on Thursday – and as consequently failing to win their Europa League group – the Red Devils will now be forced play two extra fixtures in February, with a place in the last 16 up for grabs. But rather than face another side who finished second at the group stage, the eight teams who were demoted from the Champions League will enter the competition and battle the Europa League’s runners-up.

Among those are Spanish heavyweights Barcelona and Italian giants Juventus, who each slumped to a third-place finish in Europe’s elite competition. United can not only be drawn against the pair of European behemoths, though, as Ajax, Bayer Leverkusen, Red Bull Salzburg, Sevilla, Shakhtar Donetsk and Sporting Lisbon also make their way down from the Champions League.

On Thursday, Erik ten Hag’s side looked to be well on their way to getting what they needed against Real Sociedad when academy prodigy Alejandro Garnacho put the Red Devils in front after only 17 minutes. But United had to win by two goals, and even centre-back Harry Maguire being played as a makeshift striker in the dying embers couldn’t change their fortunes in San Sebastian.