Ruben Amorim has theory on why the Europa League is ‘much harder than the Champions League’

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Manchester United responded to Ruben Amorim’s recent criticism with an important win against Rangers in Europe on Thursday.

The Red Devils welcomed Rangers to Old Trafford for a gritty Europa League group stage tie. An extra-time strike from Bruno Fernandes saw United beat Rangers 2-1 and move inside the competition’s automatic qualification spots.

Now set for an important game against Fulham back in the Premier League on Sunday, United have just two days to prepare, and Ruben Amorim has spoken about the quick turnaround.

Ruben Amorim says schedule makes Europa League harder than Champions League

The fact the Red Devils played at home on Thursday will help, but with an away trip to Fulham next up, the side must now travel to London.

And speaking about how the demanding schedule influences which players start, Amorim, who spoke to TNT Sports before Rangers, said: “It’s impossible to be competitive in Premier League and in Europe, especially when you play Europa League.

“I think it’s much harder than the Champions League — not the opponents, of course — but the time to recover [before weekend fixtures].

“So we have everything in our mind, we have to put the players at the same level and they have to be prepared for every game.”

Although the margins are fine, Amorim does have a point. The Red Devils play on the same day as Unai Emery’s Aston Villa but the Villains’ European match against Monaco was on Tuesday; two days earlier than United’s.

Racking up the miles

The demands to compete in multiple competitions is huge for any club, but it’s especially true for those in the Europa and Conference League.

While the majority of Champions League sides are located in central Europe, the same isn’t true for the lesser-known teams competing in the Europa and Conference League.

For example, just four days after they play Fulham, the United first team will travel to Bucharest in Romania for their final Europa League group game against Fotbal Club FCSB.

The distance the players would’ve travelled by the time they return to Old Trafford to play Crystal Palace on February 2nd will be over 4,000 miles.