Mourinho: ‘Having to face Russian side is bad in every aspect’

JOSE Mourinho has admitted it doesn’t get much worse for United than a Europa League tie with FC Rostov.

Mourinho described the draw as ‘bad in every aspect’ with his team facing a trip to Russia ahead of the FA Cup sixth round tie with Chelsea next month.

United will travel to the Olimp-2 Stadium on March 9 before lining up at Stamford Bridge four days later on Monday, March 13.

Rostov, who beat Bayern Munich 3-2 in the Champions League group stage in November, will visit Old Trafford for the second leg of the last-16 tie on March 16.

After watching his side beat Saint-Etienne 4-0 on aggregate in the last 32, Mourinho said he was hoping for team close to home in the next round.

Instead, United are facing a near 10-hour round trip at a stage of the season when fixtures are already piling up.

Mourinho said: “It’s a bad draw in every aspect. It’s far and it’s difficult.

“It’s far and comes in a very bad period for us, difficult because they’re a very difficult team.

“They have a very good Champions League campaign, they beat Ajax and Anderlecht in the play-offs and in group phase, difficult group with Bayern and Atletico and managed good results against them. They got third position leaving PSV out.

“I know the manager well when he was at Rubin Kazan and I was at Inter.

“Very difficult team, very physical team, so bad draw but after Southampton and Bournemouth we focus on it and go for it.”