Manchester United coach Ruben Amorim believes winning the Europa League could significantly improve his team’s struggling season, though he insists it is not essential for the club’s long-term future.
United, who face Real Sociedad in a last-16 Europa League clash on Thursday, are currently languishing in 14th place in the Premier League, with their domestic campaign far from promising.
Amorim emphasised that while winning the Europa League would provide the Red Devils with a Champions League qualification spot, it wouldn’t be crucial for the club’s future direction.
Since taking over in November after Erik ten Hag’s sacking, Amorim has set his sights on building the team for the long term, focusing on the Premier League title as the ultimate goal.
He believes Manchester United’s ability to attract top talent remains intact, even without Champions League football next season.
Amorim acknowledged the misfortune of his attacking players, such as Rasmus Hojlund, who has gone 18 games without a goal, and Joshua Zirkzee, who has scored just once in 16 matches.
He pointed out that despite creating chances, the team’s inability to convert them into goals has been a key issue.
United will face Real Sociedad with a depleted squad, missing key players such as Harry Maguire and Manuel Ugarte due to injuries.
Several others, including Amad Diallo and Luke Shaw, are also unavailable.
Real Sociedad coach Imanol Alguacil regards Manchester United as the “big favourite” to win the Europa League despite their current struggles, acknowledging the squad’s quality.
