With Bruno Fernandes and Erik ten Hag
After winning the FA Cup, Manchester United qualified for the Champions League. (Getty image)
After last month’s FA Cup triumph, Manchester United may believe they’ve been given a golden chance to capture a European title.
Defying all expectations, Erik ten Hag’s team overcame Premier League rivals Manchester City at Wembley Stadium to secure a berth in next season’s Europa League, after an eighth-place finish in the league.
Under Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s tutelage, the Red Devils are anticipated to make a slew of purchases in the coming months. With so many new players joining the squad, Erik ten Hag may finally have the pieces he needs to lead United to European success.
With a hat trick from former Premier League playmaker Ademola Lookman, Atalanta defeated Bayer Leverkusen in last month’s Europa League final, resulting in Leverkusen’s first loss of the season.
The Serie A team reached the finals after overcoming tough opponents from Liverpool and Marseille. Despite the fact that both teams did not participate in the Champions League group stages, United may have an easier time of it going forward thanks to some significant changes to the tournament’s system.
There will be no relegation to the Europa League for next season’s Champions League clubs thanks to the new 36-team league system.
Deal profile
Last year, Liverpool had competition from teams who were part of the Champions League but ended up playing in the Europa League (Image: Getty).
United will be pleased to hear that there will not be a late influx of elite clubs into the tournament, even though a good crop of teams will compete for glory throughout the season.
United are widely seen to be among the favourites to compete in next year’s final, which is expected to be held at the San Mames in Bilbao. Other clubs who are likely to make it to the final include Tottenham, AS Roma, and FC Porto.
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