Amorim: Winning Europa League won't salvage season

Manchester United coach Ruben Amorim was realistic about his club's season when he spoke to the press ahead of Wednesday's Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur.

The winner will earn a place in next season's Champions League, but with Tottenham 17th in the Premier League and Manchester United just one place above in its worst season since the league was formed in 1992, Amorim admitted that winning a European trophy would not compensate for a bad year domestically.

"Nothing is going to change our season, but everybody knows winning a European title can help us have the feeling that can help us to build a future."

Manchester United's manager Ruben Amorim (R) walks to shake hands with Liverpool's head coach Arne Slot after the English Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester United in Liverpool, Britain, Jan. 5, 2025. (Xinhua)

"A new future is not the case, but it's going to help us to finish the season and many people will look at our team in a different way because winning a European title is really important," said Amorim.

"Obviously, we know that in the Premier League we haven't been as good as we want, and all the other cups the same because our aim is always to get to the end of the competitions and win the trophies," continued the Portuguese.

Defeat would mean missing out entirely on a place in Europe next season and a blow to a club that has lost 300 million pounds over the last three years. The club has also implemented additional cutbacks to those introduced this season, although Amorim moved to play down the economic significance of losing European football.

"Our club can have revenues without the Champions League. It's a big, massive club with fans around the world. It is a big brand. We just need to be focused and do things in the right way so I don't see it like that," he replied.

Amorim also revealed that Leny Yoro, Diogo Dalot and Joshua Zirkzee would be in the matchday squad, although he added that they would struggle to play the full game.