Revealed: Jose Mourinho reacts to Europe trotting Man United season
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has revealed just how tough the fixture traffic has been for his side this season.
Mourinho revealed that his side have had 10 games already across Europe in Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, France, Belgium and Holland.
United faced Turkish giants Fenerbahce in the Europa League group stages, beating them at Old Trafford while losing in Istanbul.
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“Ten matches already — [in] Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, France, Belgium, Holland. We are going around Europe, fighting and playing Thursday evenings and going to the Premier League at the weekend,” Mourinho was quoted as saying by the official United website.
United could be in for another trip to Turkey if they progress past Anderlecht in the Europa League quarter-finals and if Besiktas knock Lyon out.
The Red Devils are the sole Premier League representatives left in the competition.
Mourinho does feel his side can win the tournament and underlined the importance of not only booking Champions League football but winning another title.
“I have a special feeling in the Europa League and the players the same because it’s a competition we can win,” he said. “It can give us the same as the top four but it can give us a title. We won one-and-a-half titles [the EFL Cup and Community Shield] this season, but we have to fight for the Europa League and we have been doing that since the start of the competition,” he added.
Besiktas are currently the only league champions left in the competition and hold similar ambitions regarding winning the Europa League.
The Black Eagles have never won the competition in the past and will dedicate all their efforts to making history.
Besiktas president Fikret Orman revealed that he aims to win two trophies this season. “I want two trophies, the league and the Europa League,” Orman was quoted as saying by Turkish-Football.
“Lyon and the others may be favourites and do not rule us out, we have a great team in great form and a very experienced manager.”
“We must believe in ourselves, we have the quality to win the cup.”