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Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has responded to Alejandro Garnacho's comments after the UEFA Europa League defeat. He refused to divulge too much and asserted that the focus is on the final game of the season.
The Red Devils suffered a 1-0 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final in San Mames Stadium in Bilbao on May 21. After Brennan Johnson gave Spurs a 1-0 lead in the 42nd minute, they defended resolutely. Alejandro Garnacho started on the bench and came on in the 71st minute to replace Mason Mount.
After the game, the forward complained about Amorim's decision to start him on the bench to the Argentine media. In a press conference ahead of Manchester United's Premier League clash against Aston Villa on Sunday, Amorim was asked about it. He answered (via Metro):
"I always speak to my players, but the focus now is on the last game. I don’t know what is going to happen. We have a plan and we prepared for both situations, with Champions League and without.
"We have an idea what type of squad we want, but now we have to focus on the last game and we will have time address all of those situations.”
When asked if no European football next season would change his outlook towards his squad, Amorim added:
"No, what changes is one less competition, that game in the middle of the week. You can manage the squad in a different way, so that rotation of the players, the depth of the squad, that changes completely if you have three or four competitions.
"That changes a little bit the plan, but not the way I look at my players just by looking at the final."
Garnacho had, notably, started in all of Manchester United's knockout matches in the Europa League this season before the final.
What did Alejandro Garnacho say after Manchester United's Europa League defeat?
After coming on in the 71st minute against Tottenham, Alejandro Garnacho completed 11/14 passes, made one key pass, and attempted one shot. After the game, he told the Argentine media (via Metro):
"There were a lot of things missing – when you don’t score goals, you always need more at the end. I played every round until we reached the final, I helped the team, and to play twenty minutes today… I don’t know."
Garnacho has scored 11 goals and provided 10 assists in 58 games for Manchester United across competitions this season. He has contributed one goal and four assists in 15 Europa League appearances.
The Manchester United academy graduate was linked with a potential exit in the January transfer window, but stayed put. He could now leave in the summer, with his contract expiring in 2028.
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Aditya Singh
Aditya has been working as a European football journalist and editor for Sportskeeda for close to 3 years. He boasts a total experience of over 6 years, and always aims to inculcate proper context in his articles, making the most of his prior stints in writing and marketing across a number of different industries over the years. He has also played football at college level for 2 years.
A B.Tech. graduate, Aditya's journey as an ardent football fan began after watching the elegant maestro Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and his infamous headbutt on Marco Materazzi in the final. He has been a fan of Tottenham Hotspur's front foot and creative football since 2008 and connect's with the club's underdog status.
Aditya, who is a Sportskeeda 'Long-form Editor of the Month' award winner, is a big admirer of Luka Modric's elegant and hard-working style of play. His favorite manager is Carlo Ancelotti because the Italian allows his players enough freedom in an age where micromanagement is the established norm.
Aditya feels Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala could replicate the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry due to their incredible collective potential. In his free time, he likes to read classical fiction, travel to places, and explore a variety of foods.
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