Europa League final will not influence selection for Chelsea trip, says Amorim

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Laurens: Amorim right to be embarrassed by Man United's season

Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens question Ruben Amorim's response to another Premier League defeat for Manchester United.

Updated: May 15, 2025, 12:47 pm

VIDEO SHOWS: PRESS CONFERENCE WITH MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER RUBEN AMORIM

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SHOTLIST AND SCRIPT

SHOWS: MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (MAY 14, 2025) (NICHE MEDIA – Access all)

1. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER, RUBEN AMORIM, SAYING:

“Again, it’s going to be a massive part, this game to the next one. So, we need to perform and they need to perform. That is the important thing. Then we are going to – the same way. If there is a player that can get an injury, (and) he’s not recovered for this game, (so playing on Friday) could put him in risk for the final, he will not play. But if he's not in that situation, we will have a lot of time to recover. And we cannot spend eight days, nine days without a game. That is a bad thing for the final. So no, I think they will be prepared for the game.”

2. WHITE FLASH

3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER, RUBEN AMORIM, SAYING:

“Yeah, we have time to recover. The best thing to prepare for the final is to play the game. And then, the players have to understand that if you play or don't play against Chelsea, it means nothing to the final. That is important. I am just preparing (for) the Chelsea game. That is my focus and we want to win and to perform.”

JOURNALIST, ASKING:

“How close will your 11 be for Chelsea be to that for the final?”

AMORIM, SAYING:

“Like I said to you, I don’t know. I already know the starting 11 that I am thinking for Chelsea. Then I will see. Even the way we play there, against Chelsea, I will see it and it’s going to be important for the next one.”

4. WHITE FLASH

5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER, RUBEN AMORIM, SAYING:

“The best way is to face the game like we should face the game. It’s to win the game. We need to perform. We need to win points in the Premier League. And that is the feeling. We talked about that after West Ham. So, we need to improve in the way we face competition. To stay focused in every moment of the game because against West Ham, we had clear situations to score. In the first opportunity of West Ham, they scored one goal. So, these small details matter. And the only way I know how to prepare for a final is to, in the normal game for our league, we must play the same as the final.”

6. WHITE FLASH

7. AMORIM LEAVING PRESS CONFERENCE

STORY: Manchester United's starting lineup for Friday's (May 16) Premier League match at Chelsea will not be influenced by the upcoming Europa League final, but players susceptible to injuries will not be risked, manager Ruben Amorim said.

United play Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final next Wednesday (May 21) in Bilbao with both clubs knowing that winning the trophy is their only hope of qualifying for next season's Champions League after dismal domestic campaigns left them 16th and 17th, respectively, in the league standings.

United have an injury crisis in defence with Diogo Dalot, Matthijs de Ligt, Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven not set to feature at Chelsea but Amorim said Jonny Evans and Toby Collyer have returned to training.

But the Portuguese manager refused to say if the lineup against Chelsea would be similar to the one he plans to field in the final.

"I don't know. I know the starting 11 I am thinking for Chelsea, then I will see," he said.

(Production: Kurt Michael Hall)