Ruben Amorim Claims Manchester United Prepared to Endure Challenges on Their Path to the Europa League Final

Manchester United will need to exert considerable effort to secure their spot in the Europa League final against Athletic Bilbao, despite holding a commanding 3-0 advantage from the first leg, according to manager Ruben Amorim on Wednesday.

The Old Trafford side has positioned themselves favorably for a place in the final set to take place in Bilbao, courtesy of three goals netted in the first half during the match on Thursday.

However, domestically, United are struggling, currently sitting 15th in the Premier League standings, and Amorim warned against complacency.

“If you study our team’s performance, it’s hard to predict what might happen. There are always teams in a league that can turn the game on its head,” Amorim informed the press.

“We must approach this as just another game. We need to score to progress to the next round. That’s our mindset. It’s likely we will have to endure some challenges to reach the final, and we’re prepared for that.”

United will have to cope without centre-back Matthijs de Ligt, who sustained an injury during their 4-3 loss against Brentford on Sunday.

“It’s not too serious, which is a positive. He won’t be available for tomorrow’s match or Sunday’s fixture, but we’ll assess him day by day. (Centre back) Ayden (Heaven) hasn’t recovered, and (defensive midfielder) Toby (Collyer) is unavailable,” the Portuguese manager explained.

Athletic also face injury troubles, with winger Nico Williams and his elder brother Inaki both ruled out for Thursday’s return leg at Old Trafford.

When queried about Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes, who has recently been linked with a transfer to the Saudi Pro League, Amorim reaffirmed United’s desire to retain their captain. Fernandes has had a remarkable season, scoring 19 goals and providing 18 assists across 52 matches for the club.

“It’s understandable that there’s transfer speculation, not just because of his statistics but also due to his style of play,” Amorim noted.

“He is an outstanding player, and we need top talent like him. He is a leader and our captain.”