Man United's most disastrous season in history could have been saved if Ruben Amorim and his students had won the Europa League, thereby winning tickets to the UEFA Champions League next season.
However, even if that beautiful prospect becomes a reality, it will not be able to solve the problems the Old Trafford team is facing this season.
The defeat in the Europa League final against Tottenham is not a bad thing for Man United. On the contrary, in a positive light, this defeat will make the "Red Devils" next season a perfect stepping stone for a comeback in the future.
When they finish 16th in the Premier League and do not have a Europa League title, Man Utd will not be able to participate in the European Cup next season. This means the number of matches next season for the Old Trafford team will decrease.
Players will not have to compete in many arenas at the same time, thereby reducing the possibility of injury. The fewer matches also mean Ruben Amorim and the players have more time on the training pitch. In other words, the Portuguese tactician will have more time to focus on rebuilding and rebuilding Man United's style of play.
In the past, many teams have overcome the crisis and risen strongly, after going through an absence season in the European arena.
In the 2016-17 season, Antonio Conte led Chelsea to the Premier League title in his first season in charge. Notably, this is also the season that The Blues did not participate in the European Cup, thereby being able to focus all their efforts on the domestic arena.
The same is true for Arsenal in the 2021-2022 season, when Mikel Arteta showed signs of improvement in the team's reconstruction. Arsenal finished in 5th place in the Premier League, thereby winning a ticket to the European Cup after 2 years of absence.
This achievement comes partly from the "Gunners" focusing all their efforts on competing in domestic tournaments without having to focus on the continental arena.
Obviously, Man United fans cannot expect the team to win the championship right after a season without participating in the European Cup. However, the prospect of the Old Trafford team playing well and finishing in the Top 4 is completely reasonable.
Even a team that was only 17th in the Premier League last season - Nottingham Forest, has struggled to qualify for the European Cup this season. So why can't a team in the Big Six with better potential like Man Utd?
Not participating in the European Cup also helps Man United's salary fund to be less burdened. Players will not receive a 25% salary increase as originally agreed if they help their team qualify for the UEFA Champions League.
This indirectly makes the salaries of players being advertised for sale at cheaper levels, thereby helping Man Utd more favorable when looking for potential destinations for them.
After the win over Aston Villa in the 38th round of the Premier League, Ruben Amorim spoke at Old Trafford: 6 months ago, after 3 matches with 2 wins and 1 draw, I told you that the storm was coming.But today, after this disastrous season, I want to tell you that good days are coming." Perhaps Amorim himself has also seen positive signs after the Europa League final defeat, which is a stepping stone for his return in the future.
