Tuesday | 13 May 2025 | Reg No- 06
Bangla
   
Bangla | Tuesday | 13 May 2025 | Epaper
BREAKING: ● Denmark reiterates support for 'peaceful, democratic, equitable' Bangladesh       ● BB raises overseas medical expense limit to $15,000      ● AL's registration suspended      ● ‘Dramatic progress’ on labour reforms, Lutfey tells western envoys      ● Rizvi urges govt to boost healthcare, reduce foreign dependency      ● DU students protest anthem disrespect      ● Govt bans new industries within 10km of Sundarbans      

ManU one step away from Europa League glory despite horror season

Published : Saturday, 10 May, 2025 at 12:00 AM  Count : 345
MANCHESTER, MAY 9: Manchester United are, improbably, 90 minutes away from qualifying for next season's Champions League after a 7-1 aggregate win over Athletic Bilbao to set up a Europa League final against Tottenham.

Ruben Amorim's men, who have endured a terrible Premier League campaign, came into Thursday's second leg at Old Trafford with a comfortable 3-0 cushion.

But the 4-1 scoreline gives a misleading impression of the match as the nervy home side struggled to gain a foothold after falling behind to a superb Mikel Jauregizar strike in the first half.

A triple substitution shortly after the hour mark changed the game, with substitute Mason Mount scoring two eye-catching goals and Amad Diallo creating havoc on the right.

Casemiro and Rasmus Hojlund scored the other goals as the nerves disappeared at Old Trafford, giving way to a raucous party atmosphere.

"I think if you look at both games, it was so much tougher than if you look just to the result," said Amorim.

"We have so many weaknesses and you can understand that in the game, but we are fighting and we managed to pass. I think we deserve, if you look at the two games, to be in the final."

In the final, United will face Tottenham, who beat Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt 5-1 on aggregate.

Amorim, who replaced the sacked Erik ten Hag in November, admitted the showpiece in Bilbao later this month would be his biggest match so far at the club.

"The money (in the Champions League) is not the most important, even the title," he said.

"To win a title as a coach is that feeling. It's that feeling that we can do good things, the feeling to give something to our fans, especially in this kind of season."

United are heading for their worst finish in the English top-flight since they were relegated in 1974, though they cannot go down this season.

But it has been a radically different story in Europe, where they are the only team unbeaten in the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League.

The fact that United are pinning all their hopes on Europe's second-tier club competition is a sign of how far they have fallen since they were regularly competing at the sharp end of the Champions League.

They reached four Champions League finals under former manager Alex Ferguson, winning two of them.

Ex-Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, now FIFA's head of global football development, believes it is not appropriate that the Europa League winners qualify for the Champions League.

This is especially because five English teams will qualify for Europe's top club competition through the Premier League.

Rival teams will balk at the presence of United or Tottenham in next season's Champions League after their dire league form.

Both teams are guaranteed to finish outside of the European qualification places in the Premier League, with United currently in 15th and Spurs in 16th.

But the rules are set and both clubs have the chance to finish on a high.

Tottenham have beaten United three times this season, twice in the Premier League and once in the League Cup, but Amorim is not unduly perturbed. �"AFP



LATEST NEWS
MOST READ
Also read
Barca edge Real in thriller
Arsenal hit back to rescue valuable draw at Liverpool
Bangladesh Men's Emerging team beat SA by 3 wickets
India great Virat Kohli retires from Test cricket
Rishad apologises for comments on PSL teammates
Salahuddin praises Liton's tactical nous
Napoli give Inter Scudetto hope after being held by Genoa
Shaun Tait named Bangladesh pace bowling coach
Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Online: 41053014; Advertisement: 41053012.
E-mail: [email protected], news©dailyobserverbd.com, advertisement©dailyobserverbd.com, For Online Edition: mailobserverbd©gmail.com
🔝
close