Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal has said that the Europa League is important to the club as it’s a route back into the Champions League, but he also admitted that it’s their third priority.
United were knocked out of the Champions League in the group stages, with Wolfsburg and PSV Eindhoven finishing ahead of them, and they’re struggling in the Premier League.
Following their 2-1 defeat away at Sunderland on Saturday, they’re fifth, six points behind Manchester City, although they did lose on Sunday at home to Tottenham Hotspur.
Van Gaal, via the Mirror, said that compared to the Premier League and FA Cup, the Europa League is the third priority.
“Compared with the Premier League and FA Cup [United play third-tier strugglers Shrewsbury next week for a quarter-final place] it is third in our priorities,” he said. “That wouldn’t have been the case in the Champions League, because that is the highest point in this world.
“But the Europa League is important. United have never won it, so it’s important that we can qualify for the Champions League through it. It doesn’t matter which way we get into the Champions League, as then we have fulfilled our aim for this season which was to qualify for the Champions League.”
Whilst the FA Cup is arguably more prestigious than the Europa League, the latter does offer a way back into the Champions League for the winners.
Unless United’s form in the league really picks up, it would seem naive from Van Gaal not to put his focus into winning the Europa League.
There are good teams left in the Europa League, but United should feel that with the correct preparation they have every chance of winning it.
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