In the early morning of tomorrow, March 7 (Vietnam time), when playing against Real Sociedad, Manchester United will have to face their biggest match since 1990.
Man United have reached four Champions League finals, winning two and losing two in that 35 year period. However, none of the matches have had a big impact on their future like the Europa League round-robin against Sociedad. The same thing will happen in the return match next week at Old Trafford.
What is the reason? If they cannot win the Europa League, the "Red Devils" will lose their place in the Champions League next season. This will cause a financial nightmare, causing the club to suffer a deficit of at least £100 million at a time when the budget at Old Trafford is tight.
Man United's difficulties in the Premier League mean they cannot participate in the European Cup next season through any other path other than winning the Europa League. They are currently 14th in the Premier League, 11 points behind 6th-placed Newcastle and have just been eliminated from the FA Cup by Fulham.
Coach Ruben Amorim now needs to repeat the achievement of his predecessor Jose Mourinho in 2017 - winning the Europa League. They need a huge source of revenue from the Champions League, thereby speeding up the path back to stability. More than ever, Amorim wants to have a good enough foundation to start rebuilding the team.
But Man United are now facing a high-risk game. And not winning the Europa League will leave this club in a gloomy future that could take years to get out of.
The team suffered losses, poor financial results and staff at all levels were informed about continued job cuts, in addition to the number of about 200 people in the last months of 2024. In general, the picture at Old Trafford is extremely blurred. Man United fans are even planning to protest against owners (L onlyzer family and INEOS Group of Sir Jim Ratcliffe) ahead of the Arsenal match.
The financial gap between participating in and not participating in the European Cup is very clear. The £90 million 10-year competition sponsorship deal between Man United and Adidas includes a £10 million deduction for each season they have not played in the Champions League.
Not participating in the Europa League will cost Man United at least £40 million. Meanwhile, the financial losses of not being able to participate in the Champions League could be up to 100 million pounds.
Even the most optimistic Man United fans will accept that this team is unlikely to win the Champions League. But even if they only make it to the group stage, they can still earn a minimum of £50 million from bonuses, before considering the ticket sales from 4 home matches.
The Europa League offers Man United a way out, but can they seize the opportunity?
