Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has suggested Manchester United do not deserve to be in this season’s Champions League for winning the Europa League last term.
Jose Mourinho’s side finished sixth in the Premier League but ensured a return to Europe’s top table by beating Ajax 2-0 in the Europa League final in May.
The Gunners will compete in Europe’s second competition this season after finishing fifth in the league – ahead of the Red Devils.
Wenger says he will rotate his squad throughout the competition but says the winners – like Manchester United – should not enter the Champions League.
‘I was always against it,’ said Wenger.
‘Because apart from Man United, who did win the Europa League?
‘All the years before it was always a team who was kicked out of the Champions League by having been kicked out of it before.
‘You cannot go into the season and think that (you will get into the Champions League by winning the Europa League). I always was not in favour of that.
‘I think at some stage it can influence on the championship [the league].
‘If a team is in April in a position where they have more chance to win the Europa League they can let some games go in the championship, and not completely focus on that, on the regularity of the competition.
‘I will always play a team that has a good chance to win the next game. In the Europa League if we can afford sometimes to rest some players we will do it.
‘But we have to adapt to the level of the competition and see first what kind of group we play in.’
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