Ruben Amorim, Fernandes and Maguire on Man Utd - Tottenham Europa League final
20/05/2025
San Mamés Barria stadium, Bilbao, Spain
uefa25 europa league final Tottenham - Manchester Utd
20/05/2025
San Mamés Barria stadium, Bilbao, Spain
uefa25 europa league final Tottenham - Manchester Utd
Category
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SportsTranscript
00:00Good evening and welcome to the Manchester United match day minus one UEFA Europa League
00:132025 final press conference. We're joined by players Bruno Fernandes and Harry Maguire
00:19as well as coach Ruben Amrim. Questions please in either English, Spanish or Basque and answers
00:26will be giving him one of the same languages. Over to you. Thanks, Simon. Hi Ruben. Just
00:37wondering how the team's looking. We saw Jorou training earlier and Delo and Xerxi. I don't
00:42think we were expecting him to be involved when you said he was out for the rest of the
00:45season. So what's the situation there? Me neither. So they recovered quite well. They
00:52push. Of course we respect the feeling of the player but we push a little bit because
00:59they wanted to be part of the team and that is a very, very good sign. And it's very good
01:04for us. Of course they are limited in the minutes for the game but they can help us to win the
01:09game. The league is out.
01:17Hi Ruben. This has been such a strange kind of season with victories in Europe and then disappointing
01:26defeats and some harsh comments. What are your views on this game and whether it would mask
01:33what's happened over the last few months or whether it would give you a new future?
01:38A new future for me I think is not the case. But it's going to help us to finish the season.
01:45People will look at our team in a different way because winning a European title is really important.
01:55But again, nothing is going to change our season. Players know, everybody knows, the staff knows, the fans knows.
02:02But winning a European title can help us to have that feeling that can help us to build the future.
02:10Dave.
02:12You've spoken very honestly about this season, the challenges on and off the pitch with the cutbacks at the club and the redundancies.
02:21I know you're not thinking this way but if you were to lose tomorrow that may lead to more kind of issues like that.
02:27So in that sense are you playing for just more than yourselves tomorrow night? Are you playing for the futures of staff and a much bigger cause?
02:33Again, I think it's not the case. We are doing things that we need to do. But I, for example, I came from the club that you, in order to survive and to maintain players, you need to be in Champions League.
02:46This is not the case. Our club can have revenues without Champions League. It's a big club, it's a massive club with a lot of fans around the world.
02:55It's a big brand. So we just need to be focused and do the things in the right way. So I don't see like that. But I'm always playing for more than myself.
03:05I'm coaching for my players, for my staff and especially for our fans.
03:11I know there's lots of talk around this game, getting into the Champions League, the revenues, all that kind of stuff.
03:20And all the players and the manager have been very cautious about calling it a successful season.
03:25But there's only been five United captains who have lifted a European trophy and that beyond everything it feels like there is a chance for this team, for one of your players to make history tomorrow night.
03:35No, obviously we know, we talk about the Europa League and the Europa League is everything that is in our minds because we play the final tomorrow and we can be successful in the Europa League in this competition.
03:46Obviously, we know in the Premier League, we haven't been as good as we want and all the other cups the same because our aim is always to get into the end of the competitions and win the trophies.
03:57Obviously, as you said, I'm not here thinking that I'm going to be one of the captains lifting the European trophy.
04:05Obviously, it's a very good feeling. I'm very proud of it. But at the same time, for me, the main thing is that our team gets to bring the trophy back to Manchester because everyone will have the time to lift the trophy one at a time or whatever.
04:20The main thing is that the red shirt is lifting the trophy.
04:24We'll take one over there.
04:27Viaplay Norway. Question for the player and the manager. Tottenham, they have rested players into this game. Your build-up has been to play the best players of the best team.
04:38What kind of advantage do you feel you will get into this game by that build-up, that preparation for the game?
04:47The advantage I don't know is you have to see the context. I don't know the context of Tottenham. What I know is that we had the last game against Bilbao.
04:58We had that game and then we rest some players because we were afraid of some injuries. And then we had a full week to prepare the game. And I felt with five days to the final, the best thing to prepare the final is to give time to the players to play.
05:14So I cannot respond from the side of Tottenham. But for me, it was really clear. We need to compete. The best way to prepare something is to compete.
05:25And I had that feeling and I pushed the players against West Ham in the end of the game. And I felt that against Chelsea, we should show something.
05:33And to prove that when we are focused, when we play our game, we can control any game in any place. So it was a good day to compete, to prepare the final. That was the idea.
05:46OK, one over there.
05:50Hola, buenas tardes. Tengo una pregunta para Bruno Fernández. Me gustaría formularla en euskera, si es posible. No sé si tenéis que colocaros.
05:59No, no, yo entiendo.
06:01¿Me entiendes en vasco?
06:02¿En vasco?
06:03Sí, sí, por eso. Te digo que me gustaría formularla en euskera.
06:05En español sí, en vasco no.
06:06En español sí, en vasco no.
06:08Vigol sartusenituene finalerdietanemen sanmamesen.
06:14¿Gusta de usubiar Vigol sartutaere, suksartuta, naikoa que sangodira titulo al txacheco?
06:21Creo que la traducción no entiende vasco tampoco el traductor.
06:34Puedo reformularla en castellano, si quieres. Es una pena porque quería también hablar en nuestro propio idioma, en el idioma de aquí de Euskadi.
06:57Te decía que hace pocas semanas en semifinales marcaste dos goles aquí en San Mames. Si crees que volver a repetir una actuación así, un doblete tuyo, podría servir para levantar el título mañana.
07:10Ojalá. Más que el doblete, el resultado que hemos obtenido. Obviamente, un contexto muy diferente. Obviamente, jugamos contra un equipo que no había sufrido muchos goles.
07:24Poder marcarles tres goles aquí no es muy común. El ambiente en el estadio estaba increíble. Fue uno de los mejores ambientes en que he jugado.
07:37Pero obviamente mañana más feliz por tener más gente del United para ayudarnos y para que pongamos todo en el partido para obtener el resultado más positivo que es ganar esta final.
07:53Paul.
07:55Question for Bruno, please. Manchester United is obviously a club that's got a rich kind of history in Europe. You're an ambitious player, you always want to play at the top level.
08:10How important is it for you and the squad and the club as a whole that you are back at that kind of top table next year?
08:17It's very important that I think the manager is being very clear with that. We want to be at the top of everything.
08:24Not only the Europa League, not only the Premier League. We want to be at the top of the FA Cup, Carabao Cup, everything we are involved with.
08:30This club needs to be fighting for everything we have ahead of us. Obviously, knowing that it's not always possible to be in the finals,
08:36it's not always possible to be winning trophies, but our aim and our goal has to be always to be until the end of the competitions,
08:42fighting for the possibility of winning trophies and that's what we want. Tomorrow we have a big chance in a competition
08:49where our aim since the beginning of the season was being in Bilbao on the final and everything we have to focus on is that we have a big game,
08:59a big final and a big opportunity to get a civil air.
09:03Samuel.
09:08Hi, Ruben. One of the main reasons that the club won a trophy last season in the FA Cup final was that Bruno's position changed
09:15and Rasmus Hoyland didn't start the game. Have you given any consideration to playing the team without a strike
09:21or do you not think your system is geared for that?
09:24Our system is a normal system that can change the characteristics. It's not about playing as a striker or without a striker.
09:31It's a system like any other that you can change the characteristics.
09:36But it doesn't matter what happened in the last final because it was a different team, different competition, different context.
09:47So everything was different. I just focus on the way we play, the way Tottenham play, what we can do to be better than the last two games.
09:57So that was my focus and not the last time that we won a cup.
10:02Alex.
10:04A question for Harry. Winning three trophies in three seasons would be a great achievement.
10:08But I think one of the things that frustrates the United fans is that this team seem to have the capability to turn in a performance in these big finals and big matches,
10:16but not week in, week out. Is that a frustration that's shared in the dressing room and how would you solve that moving forward?
10:23Yeah, of course, it's a frustration. I think when you play for this club, you want to win every football match.
10:27And this season, we've been far too inconsistent. We haven't won enough in the Premier League.
10:31It's not been good enough. We know that. The Europa League has been different.
10:34We've performed at a high level and we have proven again this season that we can beat anybody.
10:39So, no, I'm sure next season we will improve an awful amount, a full pre-season.
10:45And as players, we are looking forward to that. But we've got a big game tomorrow night and that's first and foremost.
10:50And it's a special night. It's a special occasion. And we've prepared well the last few days.
10:55And it's one that we're looking forward to.
10:57Take one over here.
11:00Another question for Harry. My name is Omar Akatsuba, omarsports.com.
11:05How does it feel like to be performing and earning the plaudits of Manchester United fans once again after a very toxic beginning?
11:15No, it's amazing to be back in the team and playing regularly.
11:18Yeah, this season I've played a lot of football.
11:22But yeah, I think I don't take too much notice of the plaudits from the media and things like that.
11:28I think when you play for this club, you can be an amazing player and the following week you can be the villain.
11:35So, that's part and parcel of playing for this club.
11:37I don't read too much into it. I try and stay as level as I can.
11:40And just every game I go into it and try and do my best. And that's only what you can do.
11:44Just following on from Paul's question before, you've played in some big games at this club over the past five years or so.
11:58In terms of what's at stake this season and at stake next season, how big does this game compare to other ones so far?
12:05No, every game that you have a chance to win a trophy is very big. But apart of that, every game at this club is massive.
12:14As Harvi just said, this club is so big that from one week you can be the hero and the next one you're the villain.
12:23So, as the players, we just think of what we have ahead of us and what we have ahead of us is a chance to get our hands on a trophy.
12:31It won't change the past. It won't affect what the past has done to us on tomorrow neither.
12:39But what can affect the future? Probably, yes.
12:42Obviously, winning a competition gives you a lot of things. In this case, you get a place in the Champions League.
12:50It gets a lot of revenue for the club. It gets obviously more players wanting to come to the club.
12:57What I think that at this club, it doesn't change much in that aspect because I think every player wants to play for Man United.
13:05And it's a thing that will never change because the name of this club, it speaks for himself.
13:10But the main thing for us is to focus on what we have ahead of us.
13:14That is a massive final against a team that we know very well.
13:18But in a competition that is very different from the Premier League, so it's going to be a completely different game.
13:23One at the back.
13:28Question for Hari. Hari, in recent games, we've seen some really inspirational moves from you.
13:34I mean, your dribbles on the wing, your runs against Athletic Bilbao, for example.
13:40Is that some new part of tactical system or is that your pure courage, inspiration or something like that? Thanks.
13:51The manager has me dribbling every day in training up and down the wing.
13:55No, listen, I found myself on the wing against Bilbao and managed to put a good cross in.
14:00And Kassa scored the goal.
14:03No, someone just asked me before that.
14:06Obviously, I've gone up front in the later minutes of the game.
14:09Tomorrow night, hopefully, I'm not going up front.
14:11I don't want to be going up front and chasing a game.
14:13I want to be defending a lead from a position in defence.
14:17So, no, I'm always there to help. I'm always there to do my best.
14:21But like I said, I'm more than happy playing in my favourite position.
14:26Ian.
14:29Ruben, hello.
14:30Hi.
14:31You sat on that stage three weeks ago and you said that winning could change the summer,
14:36but it wouldn't necessarily fix the problems.
14:38Just wonder how big are those problems and how long will it take to fix them?
14:42I think it's hard to speak about that in this moment because we need to be excited and confident.
14:47But we already know the problems.
14:49There's a lot of things that we need to change in our club.
14:52The way we do everything during the week in Carrington, the recruitment, the academy, I think we need to improve.
14:59So, it's hard to point one thing and that will not be solved by winning a cup.
15:06So, I think, I will say it again.
15:09For me, we have bigger things to deal with that, to put this club back to the top.
15:15Tomorrow, it will be important for us, for our fans, that feeling of winning can help us to have the strength to do every job that we have to do it.
15:27And that's it.
15:28So, we have a lot to do in our club, not just winning tomorrow, but tomorrow will be massive for us and our fans.
15:34OK, we need to get these guys to dinner. So, we'll take one more on each side, starting there.
15:41Hi, Ruben. Ange Postokoglu has just been in here answering questions about whether he might still be in his job, whatever the result, tomorrow.
15:49Are you sort of surprised, grateful that you don't seem to be under the same kind of pressure, despite the fact that your team has a similar record?
15:56He is Baz. Who told you this not, he is?
16:00He wants my job. He'll be a very, very good coach, but he has to work in his mindset, doesn't know how to deal with people.
16:11I don't know, I don't know. I know that in this kind of club, also in Tottenham, especially Manchester United,
16:22is strange because you have some coaches that here that lose some games and they are sacked.
16:28It's hard to explain. I think people see what we are trying to do.
16:32I think people see that sometimes I'm thinking more in the club than in myself.
16:37People understand, especially the board, understand that we have a lot of issues that in the context is really hard.
16:46So I don't know how to explain. I don't know how to explain how the fans like me in this moment.
16:53So it's hard to explain. I will try to prove myself to the fans, to the board, but I don't have an explanation for you.
17:03But again, I think it's a good thing for me. I never worry about that. That is a part of being a coach.
17:12And the most important thing, I know what I'm doing. And I explain everything.
17:17Again, before, when we start, I explained about the storm. I explained all the problems that we have to the board.
17:25So I was so clear. I explained that I will not change my idea.
17:29So they know they cannot say one thing that I said to get the job and then I changed my mind.
17:36It was the opposite. I think the board can understand that. The fans can understand that.
17:40But we will reach a moment that we have to win no matter what. So I don't have an explanation for that.
17:49Last question, Laurie.
17:55Just one for Ruben. I just wondered how much of an influence, extra time and penalties comes into your reckoning
18:01when you're making that starting selection tomorrow? Because you've got a few options in different positions, it seems.
18:05No, I just think the best starting eleven to start the game. Then it's really important to have options on the bench to change the game.
18:15Sometimes it's really, really important to win a final. I'm not thinking about going to extra time.
18:21Of course, we have that possibility, but we never think about that. Maybe in the final minutes you have two substitutions.
18:28One, you wait for the extra time that you can have to think about the possibility.
18:35But in the beginning of the game, I just want to win the game really fast.
18:39But we know, and we prove against Leo, if we have to score three goals in six minutes,
18:45we are able to do it, especially with our fans on the stadium.
18:51Thank you very much.
18:52Thank you, guys.