Back in early March, this publication posted an op-ed saying that Manchester United have an easier path into UEFA Champions League via Europe than domestically. They can qualify for the “real” European tournament next season by either winning the Europa League, or by finishing in the top four in the Premier League.
As the season winds down, it’s becoming increasingly clear which route is the more likely option. On March 8th, United Manager Jose Mourinho publicly voiced his intention to prioritize Europa League, should the Red Devils reach the round of eight.
Today, Mourinho made it very clear that he is prioritizing the continental competition over the remaining domestic games.
“I know the Europa League is the only competition Manchester United as a club have never won,” Mourinho said. “It would be great to close the circle and say we are a club that has won every single competition in the football world.”
“Thinking about us as a team, I think it would be good, given all the problems we have, and would allow us to be back in the Champions League next season. We have to try, that’s what we do.”
“So the Europa League has become, for us, more important. Of course it depends on the result and the way we analyze the situation after the match, but if we have to rest players next weekend, we are going to that.”
“And speaking hypothetically about a final, and obviously it would be premature to speak about the final given Celta has a 50-50 chance of qualifying, if we play the final, the players would not be selected to play the previous game on the Sunday.”
Thus Mourinho is sort of hinting at what he said earlier this week- there’s a chance United could play some of the U23s against Crystal Palace in Premier League season finale, if the circumstances dictate it.
In terms of “close the circle,” here’s what Mourinho means by that, via ESPN FC:
“Only Juventus, Bayern Munich and Ajax have won all of UEFA’s major competitions — the Champions League, UEFA Cup/Europa League and the defunct European Cup Winners’ Cup — as well as being crowned world champions by winning the FIFA Club World Cup or its forerunner, the Inter-Continental Trophy.”
In their rich and illustrious history, United have never won the Europa League competition.
United were in sixth place when they got drubbed 4-0 by table toppers and likely champions Chelsea back on October 23rd. Since that awful debacle, United are undefeated in league play, a streak of 25 straight and counting; a club record. However, due to all the draws, they’re still only in fifth place today. Despite the hot streak (of sorts) they still have ground to make up.
They’re just one point behind Manchester City for fourth, and four points off third place Liverpool, with whom they have a game in hand.
Odds via Sky Bet:
United- 6/4, Draw- 11/5, Celta Vigo 15/8
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes to WGN CLTV and KOZN.
Follow him on Twitter, Instagram, Sound Cloud, LinkedIn and YouTube