JOSE’S RED LETTER DAY
Mourinho admits United are not the best team left in Europe but insists if they can beat Sevilla tonight, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE
JOSE MOURINHO says “anything is possible” if Manchester United can overcome Sevilla tonight and reach the Champions League quarter-finals.
He knows United remain a work in progress in his second season and claims they are not among the leading contenders to win the Champions League.
That billing belongs to the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and United’s local rivals and runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City.
But Mourinho (left), who has won the competition twice with Porto and Inter Milan, said United will start “smelling” the semi-finals if they get past Sevilla.
“I think we’re not one of the best teams in the competition,” said the United boss.
“But when a team arrives in the last eight, anything can happen. When you’re in the last 16 it looks far, but in the last eight you start smelling the semi-finals.
“When a team gets into the last eight, the feeling is you are among the best, but anything can happen. If we go through to the quarter-finals, it doesn’t matter the opponent, it will always be one of the big names in European football, but we’ll try.”
Tonight’s tie is evenly poised after United’s 0-0 draw in Sevilla three weeks ago, a creditable result but one that leaves them vulnerable to away goals.
Sevilla drew 2-2 at Liverpool in the group stage then came back from 3-0 down at home to draw 3-3 with them, with Mourinho well aware of their goal threat.
“We’re playing against a team that didn’t lose against Liverpool home and away, scored goals against Liverpool, drew against Liverpool,” said Mourinho.
“Liverpool are a very good team, with an important stadium and with a big tradition, so it says Sevilla are really good. “We won 2-1 against Liverpool on Saturday and at the end there were some who said it was a disaster.
“So imagine if we were knocked out – it would be considered a disaster, but for me it would be a disappointment.
“I don’t think we’re candidates to win the competition. But when you draw away, we get to decide the tie at home. We don’t have to win by three, four, five goals, we have to win 1-0, 2-1, 5-4, 8-7. So not to win would be a disappointment.”
Tonight’s encounter is the first knock-out Champions League match at Old Trafford since April 1, 2014, which shows the extent of United’s recent fall from grace.
Mourinho is reversing that decline, even though United sneaked into the Champions League through the back door by winning last season’s Europa League.
Second in the Premier League with a top-four place all but assured, United will be in the Champions League next season, but are not yet finished this time.
“The Europa League final was our most important match in the last few years, because we won it and that brought us to our natural habtat, which is the Champions League,” Mourinho added.