Manchester United have been drawn against Fenerbahce, Rangers, Porto, PAOK, Bodo/Glimt, Viktoria Plzen, FC Twente, and FCSB in the group stage of the Europa League. This comes as a surprise for many, as just a week before the end of last season, it seemed unlikely that United would be playing any European football this season. However, their FA Cup final win secured their spot in the Europa League, a tournament that holds great merit.
One of the most intriguing matchups is United’s game against Fenerbahce, now managed by Jose Mourinho. The atmosphere in Istanbul is always electric, and Fenerbahce is a strong team, having finished with 99 points last season. Mourinho has a history with Fenerbahce, as he was in charge of United when they lost to them in the 2016-17 Europa League group stage. It will be interesting to see how Mourinho’s return to Old Trafford plays out.
Another exciting game is the one against Rangers at Old Trafford. Rangers are a huge club and have performed well in the Europa League in recent years. The match is likely to attract a large number of Rangers fans traveling from Glasgow, just as they did in 2008 for the UEFA Cup final against Zenit St Petersburg. The last time Rangers visited Manchester, their fans caused a bit of chaos, and hopefully, things will be calmer this time.
One game that stands out due to its unique location is the match against Bodo/Glimt. The town of Bodo is located inside the Arctic Circle, and it would have been an incredible experience for United to play an away game there. Bodo/Glimt has been dominant in Norwegian football, despite being a small club with a limited budget. They have changed the landscape of Norwegian football with their attractive style of play and player recruitment strategy.
Porto away is likely to be the toughest game for United in this group. Porto is a strong team with a rich European history. However, the new format of the Europa League should work in United’s favor, as the top eight teams from the group stage automatically qualify for the round of 16. United will need to improve on their previous European campaign, where they only managed to win one of their six Champions League group games.
In terms of individual players to watch, Fred from Fenerbahce stands out. He recently scored a hat-trick and could pose a threat to United’s defense. However, it is worth highlighting the teams as a whole rather than individual players. Bodo/Glimt’s rise in Norwegian football and FCSB’s complicated history are both intriguing storylines to follow.
Overall, United should aim to secure around 15 points from these group stage matches. The new format of the Europa League should provide them with a safety net, but they cannot afford to repeat their poor performance from last season’s Champions League campaign. This time, they must strive for significantly better results and show their true potential in European competitions.