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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: 'Manchester United must return to Champions League'

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: 'Manchester United must return to Champions League'
© Reuters
United missed out on a ticket to European football's top table by slumping home sixth in the Premier League last season.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer knows the longer Manchester United are out of the Champions League the more they will “suffer”.

The Red Devils are preparing to take on Club Brugge in the Europa League round of 32 on Thursday night, having missed out on a ticket to European football’s top table by slumping home sixth in the Premier League last season.

Failing to make it into the Champions League again will make it even harder for United to attract elite-level reinforcements this summer, while the financial impact is already being felt.

United recorded revenues of £627.1 million last year but the second-quarter results showed they are expecting it to drop to make between £560million and £580million in 2020.

“We’re a big club, we’ve got good finances,” Solskjaer said.

“But of course the longer you’re out the more you suffer, so of course it’s an ambition for us to get back into the Champions League, both for the footballing reasons and financially that will help the club.

“We’ve just got to focus on the next game, this competition now, then it’s the league on Sunday, then it’s the FA Cup on Thursday, then it’s the league again and hopefully more European games.”

Bruno Fernandes’ arrival has certainly increased their chances of success, with the big-money January arrival from Sporting Lisbon hitting the ground running at Old Trafford.

“We feel we’ve added some X Factor quality with Bruno, definitely,” he said.

“The addition of Bruno gives us that little bit of a different flavour.

Manchester United v Watford – Premier League – Old Trafford
Bruno Fernandes has made an instant impact at Manchester United (Martin Rickett/PA)

“He’s a player who likes to play penetrative passes, forward passes, likes to take risks, which a Man United player should do.

“His imagination or his overview and his picture is a couple of seconds ahead of many players and that’s one of strengths, knowing what he wants to do next time he gets it.

“But he can also change his mind in a split-second, so if that picture doesn’t work he’ll change it and that composure has been important.”

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Euro 2024 fixtures header
Friday, July 5
 
5pm
Quarter-Finals
Spain
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8pm
Quarter-Finals
Portugal
vs.
France
Saturday, July 6
 
5pm
Tuesday, July 9
Wednesday, July 10
Sunday, July 14
Tables header RHS

Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Germany Germany32107
Q Switzerland Switzerland31205
3 Hungary Hungary31023
4 Scotland flag Scotland30121

Group B

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Q Spain Spain33009
Q Italy Italy31114
3 Croatia Croatia30212
4 Albania national flag Albania30121

Group C

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Q England flag England31205
Q Denmark Denmark30303
Q Slovenia Slovenia30303
4 Serbia Serbia30212

Group D

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Q Austria Austria32016
Q France France31205
Q Netherlands Netherlands31114
4 Poland Poland30121

Group E

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Q Romania Romania31114
Q Belgium Belgium31114
Q Slovakia Slovakia31114
4 Ukraine Ukraine31114

Group F

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Q Portugal Portugal32016
Q Turkey Turkey32016
Q Georgia Georgia31114
4 Czech Republic Czech Republic30121


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