United face Real test inSuperCup
TOP CLASH Mourinho will want his chargers to put on a show against his former team when they lock horns tonight
Manchester United’s Jose Mourinho can collect the one European trophy he lacks when his side face Real Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup on Tuesday in his first competitive meeting with the Spanish giants since the split in 2013.
Mourinho, whose team won the Europa League last season to salvage an otherwise disappointing first campaign under the Portuguese, led Real to the Liga title with a record 100 points and won a King’s Cup in an eventful stay between 2010 and 2013.
His achievements at the Santiago Bernabeu were overshadowed, however, by his falling out with key dressing room figures such as Sergio Ramos and Iker Casillas as well as confrontations with referees and opponents plus a failure to win the Champions League, as Real lost in the semi finals each year.
Mourinho’s legacy has been upstaged by the Spanish club’s three Champions League triumphs in the four years since his departure, although in a recent interview the Portuguese claimed he had “to beg” Real’s board to let him leave for Chelsea.
Champions League holders Real have included talisman and former United forward Cristiano Ronaldo in the squad but it remains to be seen whether he will play as the Portugal international was allowed to report late for pre-season training after he played in the Confed Cup.
Zinedine Zidane’s side beat Sevilla 3-2 in extra-time last year to win the showcase match and the French coach is targeting a fourth European trophy in less than two years in charge of Real, which would match Mourinho’s tally of continental titles.
United, meanwhile, will be missing central defenders Eric Bailly and Phil Jones due to suspension, opening up a place in the starting lineup for new recruit Victor Lindelof. The Swede is one of three signings made so far by United along with Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku and midfield anchorman Nemanja Matic arriving at a combined cost of €146 million as they look to improve on a disappointing sixthplaced EPL finish last term.
season will be the most important one in Mourinho’s career. There were suggestions last campaign that the ‘Special One’ had lost his touch, no more capable of building a championship winning team.
he won’t take those comments lying down and will be instinctively prepared to tackle the task at hand. He has built a team that suits his requirements and now his task will be to make it work. expensive buys in United’s history, fans will bank on Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku to bring back the glory days to Old Trafford.
his time to settle down last season and League trophy did offer Manchester United a back door entry into the Champions League but that won’t be the sole target for the most successful club in Premier League history.
pumping in millions of pounds to boost the squad, they would expect the Red Devils to challenge for titles on all fronts rather than fight for bits and pieces. he will be expected to be up and running from the get go. Lukaku has been a proven goalscorer in the Premier League and United will bank heavily on him to get the goals which they sorely missed in their last campaign.