Beware bad-boy playmaker

PEP GUARDIOLA and Jose Mourinho have rarely found common ground during their careers, yet neither doubt the man determined to ensure Manchester United’s season ends without a trophy. Ever Banega, the Sevilla playmaker, is a rock star off the pitch and an artist on it. Few can spot a pass, hit a dead ball or find space like the Argentine. The 32-year-old is set to join Saudi Arabian club Al-Shabab after Sevilla’s season ends, and his departure to a little league is a pity for one of the best enganches — the Argentine term for a playmaker — of modern times. His dazzling display in the quarterfinal win over Wolves highlighted

Banega’s determination to end his Sevilla career with a third Europa League title. If he is given similar time and space by United in tomorrow’s semi-final, there is every chance he will hurt them just as badly. Thankfully, Banega (left) does damage to opponents these days rather than his own career. During his first spell in Spain, at Valencia from 2008-14, Banega suffered one of football’s most bizarre injuries when he forgot to put the handbrake on when filling up at the petrol station. His car rolled back and broke his ankle. There was an internet sex scandal at Valencia in 2008, the wild hotel-room party after Argentina had won the Under 20

World Cup in 2009 and the reports — denied by coach Ernesto Valverde — that he arrived drunk for training before a match against Barcelona in 2012. It begs the question: why do clubs bother? They bother because with the ball at his feet Banega is far more Mozart than Motorhead. In that game against Barcelona, Banega was man of the match, justifying Guardiola’s remarks that ‘Banega is fantastic. We’ll have to be plugged in to render him ineffective’. And after Banega-inspired Sevilla knocked United out of the Champions League in 2018, then United boss Mourinho said: ‘There are many Sevilla players who would play in my team.’ It was not difficult to imagine who he was talking about.