Manchester United are out of the FA Cup which leaves the Europa League as the one chance of securing European football next season, barring a league miracle.
Sunday saw Ruben Amorim defeated agonisingly in a penalty shootout by Fulham. The game had some positive signs for Manchester United, but ultimately it took away a silverware opportunity.
Chido Obi was the big positive for United, although he will not be available against Real Sociedad due to not being registered in United’s Europa squad and isn’t eligible for the B list due to only joining last summer.
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However, there is no time for United to dwell on this as Thursday will see the so-far unbeaten Europa League campaign resume. United drew Real Sociedad in the round of 16 and will travel away from home for the first leg in Spain.
For all the domestic struggles, United have been far better in Europe and remains one of the tournament’s favourites to go all the way to Bilbao in June, with a tough pathway to the final though – United will need to be improved.
Now, ahead of Thursday’s clash, the press in Spain have been talking about United and they don’t seem to agree on what to make of Amorim’s Red Devils.
Spanish press are divided over what to think of Manchester United
United fans will be well aware of the state of affairs the club are currently undergoing, but for those looking on in Spain, they are less certain.
In a review of United, Mundo Deportivo has written a piece in which the author labels the club as, “a team with two faces.
“The English team is 14th in the league and has ruled out fighting to enter Europe through that route. On the other hand, no one has beaten them yet in the Europa League and it is one of the most serious teams in the competition”, the Spanish outlet explained.
Manchester United Europa League record 2024/25
| Club | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses |
| Manchester United | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
“The red devils are currently much worse than they once were. Even so, the various coaches who have passed through Old Trafford have been saving the seasons, gradually weakening the team.
“The quote is historic and misleading in equal parts. If you only stick to the Premier League classification, the data says that La Real faces one of the worst teams in the first category of English football. But that analysis is really far from reality.”
“Manchester United are one of the fittest teams in the competition. Amorim’s team are the only team that has not lost a single game, which makes them clear favourites against Real that are far from showing their best good in the competition and had to go to the playoff to reach the qualifiers.
“United’s defence is a disaster and it’s been a world for them to be able to seal the goal. La Real cannot trust a team with two faces that seem really weakened by the terrible defensive balance harvested but that has real danger when deployed in attack.”
Some Spanish press are less kind about Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United
While one outlet has tipped Thursday to be tough for Sociedad, AS have gone to the opposite direction, claiming that United are “in free fall”.
“Manchester United doesn’t raise their heads. It continues to accumulate disappointment after disappointment, and no one at Old Trafford seems able to reverse a situation that gets worse with each passing season.
“The optimism generated by the arrival of a new coach vanished a few weeks after he arrived in the Premier League.
“Free fall without any protection. In plunge. The Mancunians have flirted with the relegation this year, and even Amorim recognized that it is the worst team in the history of the club. There was no reaction to his words. And the negative spiral continued to absorb United.”
So with such harsh criticisms, United should be raring to go and prove their critics wrong. But knowing this team that looks unlikely.
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