Major blow for Erik ten Hag as UEFA confirm Man Utd star can't play in Barcelona clash

Manchester United midfielder Marcel Sabitzer will not feature in his side's Europa League play-off first-leg clash with Barcelona, UEFA have confirmed.

The Austrian arrived at Old Trafford from Bayern Munich on transfer deadline day, penning a loan deal that will keep him at the club until the end of the season.

He was identified as a direct replacement for Christian Eriksen, who is sidelined until at least late April with a knee injury.

Sabitzer has made three appearances under Erik ten Hag so far, playing all 90 minutes in the Red Devils' 2-0 win over Leeds on Sunday.

However, the 28-year-old will miss United's trip to the Camp Nou to play Barcelona on Thursday evening, UEFA confirmed on its website.

Why can't Sabitzer play against Barcelona?

Sabitzer was shown a yellow card in Bayern's final Champions League group stage match against Inter Milan. Being the Austrian's third booking of the tournament, it ruled him out of the Bundesliga side's last 16 tie with PSG.

Referencing UEFA's website rule 52.03, yellow card suspensions are carried over from one competition to another. Consequently, Sabitzer will be suspended for United's clash with Barcelona.

He will be available for the the second leg at Old Trafford on Thursday (February 23). Despite playing in the Champions League for Bayern, players can feature in two European competitions for different teams.

The news will come as a major blow to Ten Hag who is already dealing with a significant number of midfield absentees. Alongside Eriksen, Scott McTominay is also unavailable following a muscular injury.

However, there is some good news for United fans, as Casemiro is available for selection.

The Brazilian picked up a suspension in the Premier League after being sent off in a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace on February 14.

However, FA suspensions do not carry over to European competitions, meaning Casemiro is eligible to play.

Topics: Marcel Sabitzer, Manchester United, Erik Ten Hag, Barcelona, Xavi, Europa League, Football

Joe Adams

Joe is a Journalist for SPORTbible with a primary focus on football. He has previously covered a number of other sports including boxing, rugby and F1. Wishes he was born left-footed.

@joeadamsjourno