Man United duo Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho have agreed with Amorim’s Europa League assessment
Neither Kobbie Mainoo or Alejandro Garnacho believe winning the Europa League would be enough to consider Manchester United’s campaign a success.
United will head into the first leg of their semi-final showdown with Athletic Bilbao on Thursday night with the knowledge they need to win the competition to secure Champions League qualification for next season.
The Reds are currently 14th in the Premier League table, having won just ten of their opening 34 league matches this season. They also failed to defend their FA Cup crown, exiting the competition at the fifth round stage at the hands of Fulham.
With Champions League qualification an additional prize to the trophy they will win if they are successful in the Europa League, it has been argued that winning a first European trophy since 2017 would be enough to salvage what has otherwise been a forgettable campaign.
However, that is not a theory Mainoo or Garnacho are subscribing to, despite acknowledging the importance of winning a trophy and winning a place back in Europe’s premier club competition.
“It is a big, big opportunity,” Mainoo told Sky Sports. “I wouldn’t say it would make the season a success, but it is definitely hope at the end of the tunnel for us to take something positive into next season.
“We just have to be ready for a big test on Thursday.”
Securing qualification for next season’s Champions League could make a world of difference to United’s recruitment plans this summer, with participation in Europe’s top club competition offering significant financial rewards.
“For the club, it is very important to be in the Champions League,” Garnacho said. “It is a big stage for all the teams and all the players.
“As Kobbie said, it is not going to be a great season if we win the Europa League because in the league [Premier League] we are bad.
“But obviously it will help for the club and also for us to win a trophy and to be in the Champions League. I think it is important, so we will try to do it.”
The duo’s comments are not too dissimilar to those of head coach Ruben Amorim, who said prior to the start of the Europa League knockout stages that winning the competition would not be enough to “save” the club’s season.
“People look at this competition as the only competition that can save our season,” Amorim told TNT Sports last month. “I don’t see it like that. Nothing can save our season.”
2025-04-29 15:38:52
