Amorim: Manchester United ‘Not Ready’ for Both Premier League and Champions League Football

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has admitted that the club are currently “not ready” to handle the demands of competing in both the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League next season.

United could qualify for next season’s Champions League by winning this year’s UEFA Europa League. They hold a commanding 3-0 lead over Athletic Bilbao going into the second leg of their semi-final clash at Old Trafford on Thursday.

Should they progress, Amorim’s side will face either Tottenham Hotspur or Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League final, where they will battle not only for silverware but also for a highly coveted place in the 2025/26 Champions League.

However, despite their impressive run in Europe, domestic form remains a major concern. Sunday’s dramatic 4-3 defeat at the hands of Brentford marked Manchester United’s 16th loss in the league this season—their highest number of defeats in a single campaign in 35 years.

Furthermore, the Red Devils are now without a victory in their last six Premier League matches, a dismal run they have not experienced since December 2015.

Struggles Under Amorim’s Tenure

Since Amorim’s appointment on 11 November, only the three sides already relegated—Ipswich Town (3 wins), Leicester City (3 wins), and Southampton (1 win)—have picked up fewer Premier League victories than United, who have managed just six.

This concerning form has left Manchester United languishing in 15th position in the league standings, a far cry from the club’s usual ambitions. Despite their European success, the league struggles are presenting real challenges for the Portuguese boss.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Amorim expressed his reservations: “We are not ready to play in the Premier League, be competitive, and to be in the Champions League.

“We know that, but we need to win, and we need to fight to win this competition [Europa League], to give something to our fans, and to go to the Champions League.

“Then we will have time to prepare the team to cope with those two competitions. So, it is a dilemma, but we want to win, of course.”

Youthful Line-up Against Brentford

Amorim made a total of eight changes to his starting line-up for the trip to Brentford, fielding the third-youngest starting XI in Premier League history. The average age of the side was just 22 years and 270 days. Only Middlesbrough’s line-up against Fulham in May 2006 (average age of 20 years and 181 days), and Arsenal’s team against Portsmouth in May 2009 (average age of 22 years and 237 days) were younger.

The match also saw a historic moment for Manchester United, as 17-year-old Danish striker Chido Obi was handed his first full start. At just 17 years and 156 days old, Obi became the youngest player ever to start a Premier League match for the club.

Amorim later explained that the rotation was primarily motivated by the looming Europa League clash: “We are losing games in the Premier League, we are fighting for the Europa League, so we need to accept that and to think about Thursday as the most important game for us.

“Thursday is the most important game. The end of this season is very important.”

Injury Concerns Over De Ligt

Manchester United suffered a setback in the first half of Sunday’s defeat when Dutch centre-back Matthijs de Ligt limped off injured. He was replaced by Harry Maguire shortly after the incident.

Speaking during his post-match press conference, Amorim shared his worries about De Ligt’s condition: “I hope it is [only] a small issue because I am concerned, not only about this game [against Athletic Bilbao], but about the squad for the next year.”

The head coach went on to compare the situation to an earlier injury suffered by Lisandro Martinez, who sustained an ACL injury in February: “I just don’t want a big issue because we had a problem with Licha [Lisandro Martinez]. With Mattha, I don’t know. I’m just talking, I have no idea. He could be training in three days, I don’t know.”

Speaking to BBC Sport, Amorim added: “I hope it’s nothing serious. We took a risk with Maguire. Shaw had to go off [at half-time] because we need players for Thursday.”

Champions League Ambitions at Stake

While Amorim remains focused on success in the Europa League, his comments underline the delicate balancing act facing Manchester United. Their form in Europe has offered fans hope of continental glory, but their domestic campaign has raised serious questions about the club’s ability to compete on multiple fronts.

A Champions League berth remains a major incentive—both in terms of prestige and financial reward—but Amorim is aware that qualification alone is not enough. The squad must also be ready to contend with the intense schedule and heightened level of competition.

With just a few matches remaining in the season, including a potentially decisive Europa League final, Manchester United’s immediate future could go in very different directions. Whether Amorim can galvanise his youthful squad to seize silverware while preparing for a stronger showing next season remains to be seen.