Manchester United will be without Edinson Cavani, Donny van de Beek and Paul Pogba for their Europa League last 32 first leg against Real Sociedad.
The game is being held in Juventus’ Allianz Stadium in Italy because of restrictions on travellers from the UK entering Spain.
Midfielder Pogba has a thigh problem.
“Pogba is starting treatment. It will be a few weeks definitely. He won’t be playing in February that’s for sure,” said boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Teenage winger Amad Diallo, a £19m signing from Atalanta, has been registered in United’s Europa League squad and could make his debut.
Real Sociedad are fifth in La Liga and have former United winger Adnan Januzaj in their team.
“I love United a lot,” the Belgian, 26, said. “They’re my favourite club, and even to this day I watch every single game of theirs because I love the club.
“Obviously, when I saw that I would have to play against United, it was a bit of a weird feeling. But at the end of the day I want to play them and try to beat them, to show them also what they have missed.”
Solskjaer said: “We have got to be very good to beat Real Sociedad. They are probably the hardest non-seed we could have got.”
United – who dropped into the Europa League after finishing third in their Champions League group – have lost six of their last nine games with Spanish clubs.
“That is down to the level of teams we are playing against,” said Solskjaer. “Spanish teams are good. We don’t go into games worrying but we will have to perform.”
Match stats – United’s struggles against Spanish sides
- Real Sociedad and Manchester United have only met twice previously, in the 2013-14 Champions League group stage. United won 1-0 at Old Trafford, while it was a goalless draw in Spain.
- United are winless in their last nine European matches against Spanish opponents (D3 L6) since a 1-0 win over Celta Vigo in the 2016-17 Europa League semi-final.
- Real Sociedad have lost four of their last five knockout matches in major European competition (D1) since winning 2-1 against Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the last 16 in the Uefa Cup in 1998-99.
- United have lost one of their last 16 Europa League knockout matches (W10 D5), in their most recent game against Sevilla in the semi-final last season.
- Only Arsenal’s Nicolas Pepe (36) has attempted more dribbles in the opposition half than Real Sociedad’s Adnan Januzaj (35) in the Europa League this season.
