Man Utd head coach Ruben Amorim has put his hand in his pocket to pay for the families of backroom staff to attend next week's Europa League final.
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17:24, 14 May 2025
Ruben Amorim and his backroom staff
Ruben Amorim has paid for his backroom staff to take family members to the Europa League final
Ruben Amorim said he knew it was the right thing to do to pay for 30 of his backroom staff to take their families to the Europa League final in Bilbao, after being told the club wouldn't fund their trip.
The United head coach was informed that his coaching staff, physios and support team would have to pay for their own tickets and travel as the club continue to cut costs under the leadership of Ineos.
But on hearing of the plans Amorim stepped in and offered to fund the trip, a gesture backed up by the playing squad who also wanted their staff members to have family at the San Mames stadium.
"To start with that, the situation is simple," said Amorim. "You know that we have a lot of things - people leaving, a lot of changing in the staff - and in this moment for our club sometimes it is hard when to give, when to take, to respect the people that we are taking their jobs in certain moments to survive and rebuild.
"It is complicated for the club to start giving to other members of staff so it is a really hard position. That situation was explained so in that moment my reaction was to help. It is not going to change my life. And to help the staff be there and comfortable and be a better staff for the final.
"Then they talk to the players and the players have the same reaction so everybody wants their families there, the staff there but it’s hard to manage things in our club. So it’s a simple thing.
United have told staff members that they will be eligible for two tickets for the final in Bilbao but they will have to pay for them, as Ineos continue to try and cut the costs at a club that has lost money for five years in a row.
Those cost-cutting measures and a redundancy process that will see around 450 staff leave the club in just 12 months have damaged the mood off the pitch, while United's dismal Premier League campaign has soured it on the pitch.
"I think, you feel a final is different. But this season has been really tough on everyone," said Amorim. "The results but also the changes in the staff. You can feel it in our club.
"We are addressing that during the season. We are changing the way we play during the season. We have had so many bad results in the Premier League so the environment is tough in the moment but when we are preparing a game in Europa League the environment is a little bit different. You can feel the excitement. But you can understand the environment this year is really tough."
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