..::Football IV::..

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Manchester United to play five matches on USA tour

Manchester United have announced they will play five pre-season matches in the United States ahead of the 2017-18 campaign.

Jose Mourinho's side will embark on a busy two-week tour that will see them play in five different cities in the USA, with matches taking place in the east and west.Matches in Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Santa Clara and Washington DC have been confirmed, with opponents yet to be revealed.

A fifth location is still to be announced, but United are expected to play rivals Manchester City as part of the International Champions Cup.

United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward said: "Visiting North America will give the team the best possible preparation for the new season, using top-class training facilities and playing in some great stadiums.
"We have witnessed first-hand the passion and support for the club in the US in recent years, so naturally it is something that everybody is very much looking forward to this summer."

United were in China last pre-season – where a proposed match against City was rained off – while their last trip to the United States was in 2015 under Louis van Gaal, with four games played.

 

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'Remarkable' Mbappe will make France debut, confirms Deschamps

France coach Didier Deschamps has made it clear Monaco star Kylian Mbappe will definitely get playing time in either the World Cup qualifier against Luxembourg or the international friendly versus Spain.The 18-year-old was rewarded for his stunning performances in recent months with a first call-up to the senior national side and Deschamps is adamant he will soon hand the attacker his first cap.

"Kylian is putting in some great performances at the moment," Deschamps said at a media conference.

"He is scoring goals and is in excellent form. Seeing as he is still very young, he obviously still has room for improvement. But it is quite remarkable what he has been doing, how calm and mature he is. He got here with a big smile on his face.

"There is no reason why he could not start. The fact that it is his first time with the national team does not mean he cannot start. But we should not move too fast."That I called him up does mean that he will play at some point, though. All the players who I called up should have the ambition to start."

Mbappe has already scored 19 goals in 32 appearances in all competitions this campaign.

 

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Giroud urges Wenger to renew Arsenal deal

Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud hopes Arsene Wenger will stay at the Emirates Stadium beyond the 2016-17 campaign.Wenger's contract is due to expire at the end of the season and it remains to be seen if he will agree to a new deal.

Some supporters have been calling for the 67-year-old's departure in recent months following yet another disappointing season, but West Brom manager Tony Pulis claimed this week Wenger intends to stay put.

Giroud has also had his say on his compatriot's future, hoping Wenger will extend his stay in north London.

"We want to see Arsene sign a new deal," Giroud told InfoSport Plus."We want him to continue this adventure because we all support him."We hope to win the FA Cup this season and qualify for the Champions League again."

Wenger revealed Saturday he has already made a decision but is yet to reveal what he intends to do.

 

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'Sad' Schweinsteiger releases statement after Man Utd exit

Manchester United have confirmed Bastian Schweinsteiger will join Chicago Fire, with the midfielder expressing his sadness over leaving but gratitude to the Premier League side.

The MLS side announced the move early on Monday. Schweinsteiger will meet with his new side next week after signing a contract which will reportedly see him earn $4.5 million in 2017.

The 32-year-old emerged at Old Trafford in 2015 from Bayern Munich, where he won eight Bundesliga titles and the Champions League and Club World Cup, while he played in three World Cup finals with Germany, winning one.

Though he started off as a first-team regular under Louis van Gaal, injuries prevented him from keeping his place in the starting XI at United. Shortly after Jose Mourinho took over this season, he was banished to train with the reservesm but remained respected by the fans and earned his place in the squad for their Europa League campaign, coming on against Saint-Etienne in their second round win.

However, Schweinsteiger has opted to seek another opportunity and agreed to a move to Illinois. While he admits he was persuaded to join by the club's "vision and philosophy", he revealed it is not an easy step."I am sad to leave so many friends at Manchester United," he told United's official website. "But I am grateful to the club for allowing me the chance to take up the challenge at Chicago Fire.

"I have enjoyed working with the manager, the players and staff here and wish them all the best in the future. But I have to reserve special thanks to the United fans – whose support has been a very special part of my time in Manchester.

"I was delighted to be part of the squad that won the FA Cup for them last season and will always remember their energy and their passion. Now is the right time for me to start a new chapter in Chicago and I am looking forward to it."Schweinsteiger made just four appearances in all competitions this season, making 31 the previous season.

 

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Good Luck Basti!​

 

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I do not see myself at Real Madrid - Courtois committed to Chelsea

Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has distanced himself from reports he could join LaLiga giants Real Madrid at the end of the season.

Belgium international Courtois spent three seasons on loan with Madrid's fierce rivals Atletico before establishing himself as Chelsea number one for the 2014-15 Premier League season.

Madrid are thought to be on the lookout for a goalkeeping upgrade on the back of their 2015 move for Manchester United's David de Gea falling through and Keylor Navas' dwindling form this term.By contrast, Courtois has cut an assured figure in helping to steer Chelsea towards Premier League glory and foresees his long-term future being at Stamford Bridge."I don't see myself at Real Madrid," he told Cadena Ser.

"I see myself at Chelsea, the club that six years ago saw me playing in Belgium and gave me the opportunity to sign for them.

"They also allowed me to be three years at Atletico, which helped me to be the keeper that I am now."I feel that I'm key to the team, I'm very happy at Chelsea, and I don't see myself anywhere else."

Courtois' current Chelsea deal expires in 2019 and, although talks over an extension are yet to take place, the factor of his family remaining based in Madrid appears unlikely to draw him away from the English capital."For the time being, we have not spoken about a contract extension. We are focusing on the league," he said.

"We will see at the end of the season if they offer me something. For the time being, there has not been an offer."I'm happy in London and I'm delighted with the success we are having this season.

"I owe a lot to Spain and I go often there to visit the family, who are in Madrid. But I'm happy in London."Antonio Conte's Chelsea are in a dominant position in the Premier League, 10 points clear of nearest challengers Tottenham with as many games to play."We are working well with Conte," Courtois added.

"I see that there is a long-term project to win trophies, not just domestically but also in Europe. There is a lot of ambition to play in the Champions League next season."

 

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Mourinho: Manchester United slower than my Real Madrid

Jose Mourinho says he has had to adapt to the qualities of his Manchester United players, claiming the team is slower than his Real Madrid side.

The 54-year-old won LaLiga, the Copa del Rey and the Supercopa de Espana during a three-year spell at the Santiago Bernabeu before he returned to England to take charge of Chelsea for the second time.

Madrid scored a league-best 121 goals in their title-winning campaign of 2011-12, while they also won a record 16 away matches and 32 in total - a figure that was matched by Barcelona a year later.

United have shown progress since Mourinho replaced Louis van Gaal as manager but have often been found wanting in front of goal this season, failing to score in home games against Burnley and Bournemouth and only finding the net more than three times in a single match on one occasion.

Mourinho claims he would be "in s***" if he used a counter-attacking style at Old Trafford but admits that United are limited given their lack of pace.

Asked if he does not like possession-based play, he told France Football: "That is not true. This season, we have an enormous percentage of ball possession in almost all our matches. But again, everything depends on the technical characteristics of the players that you have at your disposal. On what will enable the team to win.
"People sometimes confuse ball possession with the number of goals you score.They forget that the aim is to always score and win. At Real, I had a team that broke the record for the number of goals scored in the history of the Spanish league: 121 goals in one season. It was the best in the world in terms of transition play, in terms of being effective in recovery, and then in terms of projecting the ball towards the goal.

"Cristiano Ronaldo was 27, [Angel] Di Maria was 23, [Karim] Benzema and [Gonzalo] Higuain were 23 or 24. It was the team that killed everyone. Why would I change that? Because the Manchester United team is different. It is slower. They do not have quick players and have a desire to have the ball, in order to be dominant with play.

"Zlatan Ibrahimovic needs touches of the ball in order to play. [Ander] Herrera, [Michael] Carrick and [Paul] Pogba, too. Sometimes, in the last 20 minutes, I explore other options, and I put Marcus Rashford on to go in another direction.But, generally, I try to make do with the qualities that my players have.

"My team plays in this way or that way because that corresponds to the players that I have. It is as simple as that. If I tried to play on the counter with Manchester United, I am in s**t. If you want to play possession with a team where the players dribble a lot, take the maximum risks, push forward quickly, I would kill the potential of the players.

"I could have said to Di Maria, who was faster than an arrow: 'You do not dribble, you play with one touch, you pass the ball, because I do not want to lose'. But I prefer to play with the qualities that my players have."

Mourinho was appointed to replace Van Gaal, whose cautious approach had caused huge frustration among United fans despite delivering the FA Cup for the first time since 2004.

However, the former Inter boss says he learned a valuable lesson from his predecessor during their time at Barcelona that he still utilises to this day."I do not need 'yes men'," he said. "I want people who have their own opinions. And even people who contest my decisions, questioning them.

"I always say to my assistants: 'During the match, I want to think alone'. I do not want to have someone who is going to talk next to me, to tell me things. In those moments, I want to put together my expertise, with my instinct, with my feeling.

"I want to manage the team by myself. During the week, however, before or after matches, I am counting on them to behave like managers, who think for themselves, who think about what I say, who criticise me, who ask me questions for me to explain what I am doing with the team. I learnt that at Barcelona with Mr Van Gaal. That is what he demanded from his assistants."

 

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Insigne offers hope to Arsenal and Liverpool by revealing transfer could happen

Lorenzo Insigne has opened the door to a possible move away from Napoli by admitting that it is possible the two parties go their “separate ways” in the near future.

The 25-year-old forward is a Naples native living his 'dream' at his hometown club. However, contract talks which broke down last summer have yet to be revived.

With there seemingly no agreement in sight, the Italy international concedes that a switch elsewhere now has to be considered a possibility.

Insigne has been heavily linked with a transfer to the Premier League in the not too distant past, with Arsenal and Liverpool among those said to be keeping a close eye on his situation.The revelation that a top target is prepared to leave the door open to potential offers is likely to pique their interest again as plans are drawn up for the summer.

Insigne told Rai Sport: “Renewal? I encountered Napoli this summer, but the first meeting did not go well.“My agents will speak about any renewal; I gave my full availability to the president, and I hope a deal goes through. If my dream of playing for Napoli shatters, then it will not be my fault.

“My dream was to reach Serie A with Napoli, and to win an important trophy. I told the president enough, and did what I had to; my conscience is clean.“I expressed my position. If they want to continue this relationship, then good. Otherwise, we will go our separate ways.”

Insigne has netted 13 times in 39 appearances for Napoli this season, including a match-winning brace in a 3-2 victory over Empoli on Sunday.

 

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Gotze will recover and get back to his best for Dortmund - Watzke

Mario Gotze will make a full recovery from his health problems and rediscover his top form for Borussia Dortmund, says CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke.The Germany international will miss the rest of the season for BVB as he undergoes treatment for "metabolic disorders".

Gotze returned to Signal Iduna Park from Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich at the start of this season, but the Germany international has struggled for form this term.
However, Watzke is adamant that the World Cup winner will play a key role for Dortmund for years to come."We have very high hopes that he will fully recover and get back to his best," Watzke told Sport Bild.

"If the treatment is successful, and things appear to be going well right now, Mario can rediscover his best form eventually."He is doing alright if you bear the circumstances in mind. But it is only logical that an ambitious professional like Mario is not feeling great when you are missing the decisive stages of the season and big games against Bayern.

"I do not think the high expectations got the better of him. Mario is a very calm guy. He has shown for a number of years that he can deal with high expectations. That was not the problem."Gotze, 24, has scored twice in 16 appearances in all competitions for Dortmund this term.

 

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Manchester City outcast Hart should be 'looking at Juventus', claims James

Joe Hart should be setting his sights on earning a move to Juventus after being forced out of the fold at Manchester City, says ex-England international David James.Having been frozen out at the Etihad Stadium by Pep Guardiola, Hart was allowed to head for Serie A last summer.

A season-long loan agreement was struck with Torino and while the 2016-17 campaign has not all been smooth sailing for the 29-year-old, he has benefited from the experience.

Various clubs are now being linked with a permanent move for the experienced goalkeeper this summer, with the likes of Liverpool eager to return him to the Premier League.

James, though, believes that Hart is good enough to remain in Turin and compete with the iconic Gianluigi Buffon for minutes at the reigning Italian champions.The former Liverpool and City custodian told talkSPORT: "If I was him, I would be looking at Juventus.

"The difficulty for putting him back in England is where would he go? At the moment there are some very good goalkeepers around in the Premier League.”James added: "If you look at the England squad, he is the only player who is playing abroad and he is doing well.

"Torino is a tough gig for anybody and he is doing well there. Therefore he is showing that he has the qualities and capabilities to play abroad - why not go and do that for one of the top teams?"Hart has made 30 appearances for Torino this season and is in Gareth Southgate’s latest England squad.


He did, however, make two costly errors in his last outing against Inter and is still building bridges with the Three Lions following his showing at Euro 2016.

 

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Man Utd to face derby rivals Man City, Barcelona and Real Madrid in International Champions Cup

Manchester City and Manchester United will face off at the International Champions Cup (ICC) with the fixture joining the Clasico clash between Real Madrid and Barcelona in an exciting line-up.

The Premier League rivals are set to meet on July 20 at a venue that has yet to be confirmed. The match will mark the first time the teams have met outside of the United Kingdom.Last year, the teams were meant to play a pre-season match in China, but torrential rain in Beijing meant the game was cancelled.

The pre-season event is also hosting a fixture between La Liga powerhouses Madrid and Barcelona, which was already announced for July 29 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

United will also play Madrid and Barcelona, while City face Los Blancos and Tottenham.Spurs can also look forward to a meeting with Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain, while Juventus and Roma are scheduled to take part in the tournament.

"This year's International Champions Cup will feature two of the most iconic derbies in sports: El Clasico and the Manchester Derby," said Charlie Stillitano, chairman of organising Relevent Sports.

"The line-up of teams participating in this year's tournament is world-class from top to bottom, highlighted by current champions of three top domestic leagues as well as the reigning Champions League titleholder."Hosting this calibre of soccer competition in the U.S. is only feasible through the ICC, where these teams can compete in a highly competitive tournament in preparation for their upcoming domestic campaign."

Full schedule

July 19: TBD – PSG v Roma
July 20: TBD – Man. Utd v Man. City
July 22: East Rutherford, N.J. – Barcelona v Juventus
July 22: Orlando, Fla. – Tottenham v PSG
July 23: Santa Clara, Calif. – Man. Utd v Real Madrid
July 25: Harrison, N.J. – Tottenham v Roma
July 26: Landover, Md. – Man. Utd v Barcelona
July 26: Miami, Fla. – PSG v Juventus
July 26: Los Angeles, Calif. – Real Madrid v Man. City
July 29: Nashville, Tenn. – Man. City v Tottenham
July 29: Miami, Fla. – Real Madrid v Barcelona
July 30: Foxborough, Mass. – Juventus v Roma

 

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PattaNiyama matches set 1kak thiyanawa

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International Friendly Fixtures 2017.03.22

International Friendly Fixtures 2017.03.22

Cyprus Vs Kazakhstan

Cezch Republic Vs Lithuania

Germany Vs England

Scotland Vs Canada​

 

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Germany 1 England 0: Podolski signs off in spectacular fashion

Lukas Podolski brought the curtain down on his international career in spectacular fashion as he fired Germany to a 1-0 win over England on Wednesday.

The former Bayern Munich and Arsenal forward captained his country on the occasion of his 130th and final cap and blasted in the only goal of the game – his 49th for Germany - in the second half to give Joachim Low's side the win.

Podolski made a lengthy speech before kick-off after being honoured with an on-pitch presentation and a mosaic in the stands, but England threatened to spoil the party as they produced the better performance for much of the match.

Gareth Southgate's side looked comfortable in an experimental 3-4-3, in which Michael Keane was handed a full senior debut, and Adam Lallana hit the post before Dele Alli missed a one-on-one in an encouraging first-half display.

But Podolski - starting an international match for the first time in 859 days - thumped his side's first shot on target of the match into the net in the 69th minute, and although England pushed for a leveller, they were unable to muster the sort of comeback that saw them come from 2-0 down to win 3-2 in Berlin a year previously.

For England, the defeat was only their second in 17 away games, but Southgate will consider it a chance missed against a Germany side missing a number of stars including Manuel Neuer, Jerome Boateng, Mesut Ozil, Sami Khedira and Julian Draxler.

Jamie Vardy saw wishful calls for a penalty waved after jumping over goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, as England pressed the Germany defence in encouraging fashion in the early stages.

England looked likely to cause problems from corners, with debutant Keane flashing a strike over and Eric Dier heading straight at Ter Stegen from two separate deliveries, but Lallana came within inches of breaking the deadlock when he strode beyond the hosts' back line only to place a low left-foot shot onto the base of the post.

Dier fired a free-kick over the crossbar as England continued to look the better side, and Alli wasted a glorious chance four minutes before the break when he shot straight at Ter Stegen after being given time and space to set himself in the box.

Julian Brandt saw a shot bobble just wide after Joe Hart flapped a corner towards the edge of the area, before Podolski came within inches of connecting with a clever Toni Kroos chipped pass, as Germany began the second half in the ascendancy.

Dier's cross-cum-shot was beaten away well by Ter Stegen and Alli saw a half-chance blocked at his feet as Germany again failed to deal with an England corner, before substitute Andre Schurrle showed some attacking impetus with a good run and shot that whistled wide from 20 yards out.

Moments later, Podolski - who had spent the game shooting from wherever the ball fell to him - brought the stadium to its feet in some style. Kroos and Schurrle combined well to provide space for Podolski 25 yards from goal, and he blasted home a left-foot shot that flew past Hart and into the top-right corner.

The 31-year-old received a standing ovation as he was replaced late on, as Germany saw out a useful win ahead of Sunday's World Cup qualifier with Azerbaijan. England, meanwhile, will now prepare to host Lithuania at Wembley.

 

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Donnarumma wins NxGn award for world's best teenage talent

AC Milan starlet Gianluigi Donnarumma has claimed top spot in NxGn, Goal's list of the 50 most promising talents in world football.

We asked experts from our 37 editions across the globe to rate the best players born on or after January 1, 1998 in terms of first-team experience, potential and overall ability and ranked them by their final tallies.

Donnarumma finished top of the pile, with the 18-year-old Italian having already established himself as Milan's No.1, as well as being capped twice by his country. 'The new Gigi Buffon' finished just ahead of Monaco ace Kylian Mbappe, who is being compared to Thierry Henry because of his blistering pace and composed finishing.
United States winger Christian Pulisic took third place and is one of three Borussia Dortmund players in the top 10, alongside Swedish striking sensation Alexander Isak (fifth) and exciting right-back Felix Passlack (eighth).
Elsewhere, Alban Lafont, who finished fourth, is rivalling Donnarumma for the title of the world's best young goalkeeper, with the 18-year-old presently starring for Toulouse in Ligue 1.

Donnarumma's team-mate Manuel Locatelli has produced a string of fine performances - and a couple of spectacular strikes - in Serie A this season and the midfielder secured sixth spot, just ahead of Nice's commanding centre-half, Malang Sarr, who is being followed by Arsenal, Chelsea and Barcelona.

Norwegian prospect Martin Odegaard has yet to make a big impact at Real Madrid but still ranks ninth as he looks to kick-start his career during an 18-month loan stay at Heerenveen, while the incredibly versatile Timothy Fosu-Mensah has already shown that he has a bright future ahead of him at Manchester United.

Fosu-Mensah is the only Premier League player in the top 10 but the English top flight boasts the most representatives overall (10), one clear of Ligue 1, which justified its reputation as a hotbed of exciting young talent.

While Dortmund are the only club that can boast three members in the NxGn, Milan (Donnarumma and Locatelli), United (Fosu-Mensah and Angel Gomes), Liverpool (Ben Woodburn and Trent Alexander-Arnold), Real Madrid Castilla (Sergio Diaz and Achraf Hakimi), Ajax (Justin Kluivert and Matthijs De Ligt) Paris Saint-Germain (Moussa Diaby and Lorenzo Callegari) and Metz (Vincent Thill and Ismaila Sarr) all have two apiece.

 

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Congratulations Donnarumma!​

 

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Alexis and Ozil contract talks will resume in the summer - Wenger

Arsene Wenger has confirmed that contract talks with Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez will resume in the summer, with Arsenal yet to reach an agreement over extending their deals.

The Gunners are determined to secure the futures of their star players this summer with less than 15 months remaining on their current contracts, but negotiations have proved difficult and drawn out.

The representatives of Ozil and Sanchez are in regular contact, with reports claiming both players are demanding salaries in excess of £250,000-a-week.

Wenger has finally admitted that talks have been shelved until the end of the season because Arsenal have been unable to find an agreement with the talismanic duo.

“At the moment we do not have an agreement,” Wenger told beIN Sports.
“We’ve decided to focus on the end of the season and talk about it during the summer

“It’s the same situation with Ozil because, when once you don’t find an agreement and it lasts, it’s not good for them, so it’s better you get it out and sit down during the summer.”

Alexis is Arsenal’s top scorer in all competitions, with 22 goals and 15 assists in 37 games this season to make it his most prolific campaign since joining the club in 2014, while Ozil has struggled to maintain consistency following a series of injuries and illnesses through the campaign.

 

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Spain boss Lopetegui delighted with Costa form for Chelsea

Spain head coach Julen Lopetegui says that he is delighted with the club form of Diego Costa and noted that the Chelsea striker looks like he is at last enjoying life with the national team.

The Chelsea striker admitted this week that he is beginning to feel increasingly relaxed with the rest of the squad following a difficult first three years as a Spain international.

Costa failed to find form in their poor 2014 World Cup campaign and was omitted from the squad for Euro 2016 after poor performances in the 2015-16 season.

However, the 28-year-old - who has scored 17 Premier League goals this season to fire Chelsea towards the title - has hit three in his last three appearances on the international stage, and Lopetegui has been delighted by what he has seen of late."He's calm and happy," Lopetegui told Radio Marca. "He has had a lot of consistency and form at Chelsea and we are all delighted.

"The players who are with us have shown incredible behaviour. The players are the medicine for the Spain team and they will help us achieve our goals."Spain take on Israel on Friday in World Cup qualifying looking for a win that will keep them above Italy and at the top of Group G.

But with Israel just a point behind the top two in third place, Lopetegui is well aware of the threat they pose."The main focus is to get points against Israel. We need to convey the importance of this game," he said.

"They have good players and they are a competitive team. We know how difficult they are, we have to perform well."We absolutely respect Israel and I'm sure that they are also going to be respected by the city of Gijon."

 

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Sir Alex Ferguson tells Man Utd to focus on Europa League

Manchester United great Sir Alex Ferguson has called on the Red Devils to focus their attentions on winning the Europa League to ensure they achieve Champions League qualification.

The race to finish in the Premier League's top four is set to go down to the wire, with United fifth in the standings and four points adrift of Liverpool with two games in hand, while Arsenal are two points further back.

United's ongoing battle with Manchester City, Tottenham, Liverpool and the Gunners has made the Europa League an attractive proposition for Jose Mourinho's men as it would guarantee a spot in next season's Champions League.

And former manager Ferguson - winner of 38 titles in 27 years at Old Trafford including two Champions League crowns - highlighted the importance of the Europa League to United, who will face Anderlecht in the quarter-finals in April.
"The thing is, we've never won the Europa League," Ferguson told ESPN FC."We've never won the UEFA Cup, what it used to be. And we've got a great draw. I'm not saying it's a certainty, but they've got a great chance.

"It gets you into the Champions League, too -- it didn't used to but it does now, and so that's a great incentive. And there's no Sevilla in it, so that's good.

"If you win a trophy, it's important. It's a European trophy. It doesn't matter that it's not the Champions League -- it's still a European trophy. And if you win it, you get into the Champions League. The incentive is greater to do that.

"And your CV gets bigger. If we won the Europa League? Fantastic. Add it to the European Cup, the Cup Winners' Cup, the Champions League - It's bigger and bigger. We also want to be the most successful club in England."