Jose Mourinho, currently managing Fenerbahce, has identified Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur as the frontrunners for this season’s Europa League title.
With United set to face Mourinho’s Fenerbahce in Turkey on Thursday, the stakes are high for Erik ten Hag’s side, which has started its Europa League campaign with two frustrating draws against FC Twente and Porto.
Mourinho, who guided Manchester United to Europa League victory in 2017, has defended the performances of his former club despite their slow start in the tournament.
He acknowledged the challenges of European football, stating, “They [United] didn’t win, they didn’t lose, and in this format where everybody tries to figure out what we need but nobody knows, I think every point you get is always a difficult point.”
The Portuguese manager emphasized that securing a point away at Porto is no easy feat, particularly in a high-stakes environment. “To play in Porto is not easy; to get a point in Porto is not easy for anybody,”
he added. Reflecting on the match against FC Twente, Mourinho noted that expectations can sometimes overshadow the reality of the game, remarking that “it was a difficult game” despite United being favorites at Old Trafford.
While the results may not favor United at the moment, Mourinho expressed confidence in the team’s potential. “What I can say is one thing are the results that Manchester United are having, and another thing is the potential of the team. The potential of the team is high,”
he stated. He acknowledged that while the draws are not ideal, they do not significantly impact the overall scenario, especially with the tournament’s new format allowing for multiple paths to qualification.
Mourinho outlined the robustness of the top teams in the tournament, asserting, “At the end of the day, this new format will always allow that the top teams are going to qualify. No problem for a top team to lose three or four matches out of eight because then they will win three or four, they will make 12 points easily and they qualify, so I think they are in a stable situation.”
When asked to name the leading candidates for the Europa League, Mourinho was clear: “If I have to say now which are the two biggest candidates to win the Europa League, I think it’s easy – Man United and Tottenham.”
He highlighted the significant quality of the Premier League, explaining, “The Premier League is a different level of quality, it’s a different level of intensity, it’s a different level of pace, it’s a different level of tactical culture, it’s a different level of everything.”
As the match against Fenerbahce approaches, Mourinho anticipates a challenging encounter, stating, “I think tomorrow we are going to play against one of the two strongest teams.” With high expectations from fans and a desire to reclaim glory, both Manchester United and Tottenham will aim to assert their dominance in the Europa League this season.