Once thought to be too nice to be a destructive force in midfield, the 27-year-old has thrived this season under José Mourinho and aims to drive United to victory over Ajax in the Europa League finalAnder Herrera has already played in one Europa League final but if that makes him more experienced than many of his Manchester United team-mates it is only because his present club have rarely given Uefa’s second-string competition their full attention. The midfielder reached the 2012 final in Bucharest with Athletic Bilbao, only to be beaten 3-0 by an Atlético Madrid side already beginning to respond to the newly arrived Diego Simeone.Bilbao put out Manchester United on the way to the final, along with Schalke and...
Manchester United and Celta Vigo have picked weakened teams in their league matches in search of back-door qualification for the Champions LeagueOlive branch of the week was handed out by Pep Guardiola after his side’s win over Crystal Palace, when the Manchester City manager said he hoped Manchester United would go all the way and win the Europa League because it would be amazing to have five English clubs in the Champions League next season.So it would, though looking around at the standard of competition in Europe, some are going to have to pull their socks up to make any more impression on the knockout stages than they managed this time. Monaco scored six goals against Manchester City, proceeding to...
After brushing aside Lyon in the Europa League semi-final first leg, the Dutch club can scent a chance of a first European trophy in 22 yearsIt is a cold Thursday morning at Ajax’s De Toekomst complex, where the canteen doubles as a trophy room, the sheer weight of football knowledge can be overwhelming, and the atmosphere is unsurprisingly buoyant after the events of the previous evening at the Amsterdam Arena. Nothing is being taken for granted but Ajax can be excused for feeling pleased with themselves after their stunning performance in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final. These occasions are supposed to be cagey, cautious affairs and they have just torn up the script by beating a dangerous...
The former Arsenal and Rangers midfielder has taken the Dutch ‘club of the people’ to the verge of their first title since 1999 despite his unassuming natureJust when Feyenoord supporters thought it was safe to crow after 18 years in the wilderness, along came Bertrand Traoré, Kasper Dolberg and co. Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side travel to Excelsior on Sunday knowing victory would secure a first Eredivisie title this century, although Ajax’s 4-1 victory over Lyon in the Europa League semi-final first leg at the Amsterdam ArenA on Wednesday has already threatened to put something of a dampener on the celebrations.“All the emotions are a little bit spread at the moment,” admits Bert Konterman, the former Rangers and Holland defender and...