: Winning Europa league could be turning point for Man United, says Amorim
VIDEO SHOWS: MANCHESTER UNITED TRAINING AND PRESS CONFERENCE WITH HEAD COACH, RUBEN AMORIM, AHEAD OF EUROPA LEAGUE SEMI-FINAL AWAY TO ATHLETIC CLUB/ ATHLETIC CLUB TRAINING
RESENDING TO IMPROVE AUDIO ON SOUNDBITES
SHOWS: MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (APRIL 30, 2025) (NICHE MEDIA - Access all)
1. MANCHESTER UNITED GOALKEEPER, ANDRE ONANA, AT TRAINING
2. TEAM IN HUDDLE
3. MIDFIELDER, KOBBIE MAINOO/ HUDDLE BREAKING
4. HEAD COACH, RUBEN AMORIM, BOUNCING BALL UP AND DOWN AS HE WALKS
BILBAO, SPAIN (APRIL 30, 2025) (UEFA - This content can only be used in the reporting of the UEFA Europa League 2024/2025 season – no other use allowed. No use after May 28, 2025. No commercial use. Must on-screen courtesy " UEFA 2025". No resales. No sublicensing. No monetisation.)
5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANCHESTER UNITED HEAD COACH, RUBEN AMORIM, SAYING:
"Everybody knows that it's really important for our season. We know that nothing is going to save our season, but this can be huge. Winning a trophy and also to get into the Champions League to have European games next year could change a lot of things in our club, even in the summer."
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (APRIL 30, 2025) (NICHE MEDIA - Access all)
6. MIDFIELDERS, CASEMIRO, CAPTAIN, BRUNO FERNANDES, AND, WINGER, ALEJANDRO GARNACHO, AMONG PLAYERS RUNNING RONDO DRILL
7. WINGER, AMAD DIALLO, IN THE MIDDLE FOR RONDO
8. FORWARD, RASMUS HOJLUND, MIDFIELDER, MASON MOUNT, AND, DEFENDER, LENNY YORO, AMONG PLAYERS RUNNING RONDO
BILBAO, SPAIN (APRIL 30, 2025) (UEFA - This content can only be used in the reporting of the UEFA Europa League 2024/2025 season – no other use allowed. No use after May 28, 2025. No commercial use. Must on-screen courtesy " UEFA 2025". No resales. No sublicensing. No monetisation.)
9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANCHESTER UNITED HEAD COACH, RUBEN AMORIM, SAYING:
"It's something more in the core of our club that a lot of things we need to change and we need to be consistent. So, Europa League is not going to change anything in our problems. It's going to help us to have Champions League next year, more money to spend but the problems are still there. So, we have to change the minds of our fans with consistency, with good decisions, good recruitment, good academy. This is what we need to change to take this club back to the top. This is more a shortcut to go to the European games. Nothing more. The problems we need to solve in a different way with more time and be really clear on that."
10. HOJLUND, MIDFIELDER, CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN, AND, LEFT-BACK, LUKE SHAW, DURING RONDO
11. FULL-BACKS, NOUSSAIR MAZRAOUI, AND, PATRICK DORGU, RUNNING DRILL TOGETHER
12. AMORIM TALKING TO ASSISTANT COACH
13. DORGU BALL JUGGLING
BILBAO, SPAIN (APRIL 30, 2025) (UEFA - This content can only be used in the reporting of the UEFA Europa League 2024/2025 season – no other use allowed. No use after May 28, 2025. No commercial use. Must on-screen courtesy " UEFA 2025". No resales. No sublicensing. No monetisation.)
14. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANCHESTER UNITED HEAD COACH, RUBEN AMORIM, SAYING:
"I think you can see that Rasmus (Hojlund) has the talent. Josh(ua Zirkzee) has the talent. Chido (Obi) has the talent. We have to improve the players. But to improve the players individually, we have to improve the way we perform, the way we play, and we are far from being a really consistent team that can help the strikers to score many goals. So again, it's more I already spoke about that we are scoring, we have a clear lack of goals and that cost us a lot of points this season and we have to improve that to help the strikers to improve."
15. ATHLETIC CLUB PLAYERS INCLUDING FORWARDS, INAKI AND NICO WILLIAMS, AND FULL-BACK, OSCAR DE MARCOS
16. PLAYERS STRETCHING
17. NICO WILLIAMS JOGGING
18. PLAYERS STRETCHING
19. GOALKEEPER, UNAI SIMON, STRETCHING/ PLAYERS WARMING UP
20. INAKI WILLIAMS AND DE MARCOS STRETCHING, JOGGING OFF
21. PLAYERS GATHERING INTO CIRCLE FOR RONDO DRILL
22. RONDO DRILLS
23. DE MARCOS IN THE MIDDLE FOR RONDO
24. ATHLETIC CLUB HEAD COACH, ERNESTO VALVERDE, AT TRAINING
25. SIMON TRAINING
STORY: Winning the Europa League may not save Manchester United's season, but it could still be key to the club's immediate future, both on and off the pitch, manager Ruben Amorim said ahead of Thursday's (May 1) semi-final clash at Athletic Bilbao.
As United sit 14th in the Premier League with 39 points after suffering 15 losses this season, Amorim believes European success could inject much-needed momentum into a disappointing campaign and into their rebuilding plans.
"Everybody knows (the game against Bilbao) it is really important for our season," Amorim told reporters on Wednesday.
"We know that nothing is going to save our season but this can be huge, winning a trophy and also to get into the Champions League.
"To have those games next year could change a lot of things in our club, even in the summer."
While Amorim sees the Europa League as a potential turning point, he stressed that qualification for the Champions League would not solve all of United's problems.
"It could change our summer, it could change next year," he said. "But we have to deal with a lot of things in our club. We will be fine with Champions League or without Champions League."
Asked about the contrast between United's strong European form and their Premier League struggles, Amorim said he had few answers, but pointed to the team's issues in front of goal.
Amidst the debate over whether it is fair for a club with poor domestic performance to qualify for the Champions League via the Europa League, Amorim said United must make the most of the opportunity, regardless of how it is perceived.
(Production: Conal Quinn)