Manchester United’s last glimmer of hope in a dismal season rests on their performance in the Europa League, where triumph is crucial for financing a much-needed overhaul of Ruben Amorim’s underachieving squad.
The Red Devils are set to face Lyon in the first leg of their quarter-final on Thursday, marking the first encounter between the clubs since Cristiano Ronaldo’s decisive goal secured a place in the last-16 tie back in 2008, ultimately leading to United’s last Champions League title.
A dreary 0-0 stalemate against Manchester City over the weekend has left United languishing in 13th place in the Premier League, prompting Amorim to declare that his squad must show improvement “everywhere,” with the team on course for their worst top-flight finish in over 35 years.
The Europa League presents United with their only chance to return to European competition next season, but failing to lift the trophy in Bilbao next month will have severe financial ramifications.
“It’s not the paramount concern for Manchester United because we have a lot to address, but this season, the Europa League is of significant importance,” said Amorim.
“Winning could secure our place in the Champions League next season, and we aim to do everything possible to progress to the next round.”
Not qualifying for Europe’s elite competition is anticipated to cost United at least £100 million ($127.6 million), adding pressure during a time when the club’s financial flexibility is already strained, with cost-cutting measures in place.
“We are striving significantly to improve next year, and that is our objective,” Amorim explained last week, acknowledging that time is not on his side. “We are in a hurry.”
Bruno Fernandes’ hat-trick propelled United to a commanding 5-2 aggregate win over Real Sociedad in the previous round. However, the Portuguese midfielder asserts they need to rediscover their “killer instinct” after being unable to find the net in their last two matches.
Fernandes, who has netted 16 goals this season—almost double the tally of any other United player—has been assured by Amorim that he will “not be going anywhere” this summer, despite speculation linking him to a move to Real Madrid.
How things unfold at Old Trafford over the summer is likely to be influenced by how United finish their current campaign.
Lyon Manager in Unusual Circumstances
Amorim will face a familiar opponent in Lyon’s manager and fellow countryman Paulo Fonseca, whose team is enjoying a run of eight wins in their last ten matches, despite the bizarre situation of largely being without their coach on match days.
Fonseca is currently banned from the touchline in Ligue 1 until November following a heated exchange with a referee last month, although this suspension does not extend to the Europa League.
Having been appointed in late January after his dismissal from AC Milan, Fonseca continues to receive backing from Lyon’s owner John Textor, despite his inability to fulfil his managerial duties effectively.
His absence from the sidelines hasn’t negatively impacted Lyon, who sit fifth in Ligue 1 and are vying for a return to the Champions League for the first time since their semi-final run in the 2019-20 season.
The prospect of returning to Europe’s top tier is as critical for Lyon as it is for United, especially given the French football financial control authorities’ warning earlier this season that the seven-time champions risk relegation without substantial debt reduction.
This situation could potentially see Rayan Cherki depart, having found excellent form following the collapse of a potential move to Borussia Dortmund in the winter, scoring the winner against Lille last Saturday after Ghanaian winger Ernest Nuamah suffered a ruptured ACL.
For now, however, Cherki is fully committed to spearheading Lyon’s European ambitions, starting with the crucial clash against United on Thursday.
“We’re going to approach the game with confidence and aim for victory,” said Cherki. “We’re prepared. We’ve been anticipating this for a long time. It’s going to be a battle of wills. We’ll need to fight hard.“
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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