EURO FINAL IS IN SAFE HANDS
JOSE Mourinho has confirmed Sergio Romero will start for United in the Europa League final against Ajax.
Romero has started United’s past 10 Europa League ties and kept six clean sheets while deputising for first-choice goalkeeper David de Gea.
Mourinho’s decision to retain Romero for the semi-final legs against Celta Vigo heavily hinted he would start the Argentinian in the Stockholm final.
“No dilemma,” Mourinho said. “They are two fantastic goalkeepers. I never saw in all my career two goalkeepers be so friendly because it is a position when you always have a little bit of rivalry, especially if you are both the same kind of level.
“You are speaking about the Argentina national goalkeeper and the Spain national goalkeeper.
“They are friends and they support each other all the time.
“I think it is fair Sergio is going to play the final and David accepts this.
“If everything goes normal and we have no problems, Sergio plays the final.”
WITH seconds remaining Jose Mourinho directed his ire on to United’s substitutes when he beckoned them down the steps to be ready to celebrate a seventh European final in the club’s history. The party almost never started.
As the clock ticked towards the 96-minute mark Celta hoicked the ball up to Claudio Beauvue, he spurned a glaring chance to shoot across Sergio Romero’s goal and John Guidetti followed up with a hopeless finish.
The ball bounced towards the touchline, the referee glanced at his watch and blew the final shrill. United had held on.
Mourinho clutched his son – the first to greet him after United won the EFL Cup – while Celta’s players fell like wounded soldiers, distraught and motionless.
This was a familiar United, holding on, not making it easy for themselves and causing the early leavers to remain glued to their seat. What a pity the most pulsating period United produced came during that late melee which sparked Eric Bailly’s expulsion.
Some are questioning Mourinho’s suitability at the club when it should not be forgotten just how often Sir Alex Ferguson embraced pragmatism.
Monaco in ‘98 and Madrid in 2000 are two early knockout ties and United clung on to reach a European final nine years ago.
“Certainly during the final three seasons under Sir Alex it was more a case of us getting over the line than anything cavalier,” Rio Ferdinand said. Mourinho and Ferguson are capable of mixing it up and that adaptability has set them apart from their peers.
Mourinho could lead United to a European trophy and that is why there is little outcry from supporters over him reverting to type.
In the 53rd minute against Celta, Paul Pogba received the ball, held off opponents and glanced to the right for a team-mate but nobody was there. United supporters groaned with exasperation – not with Pogba, but the lack of adventure shown. United previously recorded aggregate wins over Rostov in regulation time and Anderlecht in extra-time through one-goal margins before their 12th 1-1 of the campaign against Vigo. Going off the form book they are building up to a catastrophic climax against Ajax in Stockholm. United have conceded 27 per cent of their goals in the last 10 minutes of games in all competitions this season and three of them have come in the Europa League, which suggests they are driven by the fear of losing rather than the courage to win. United are still striving for balance.
In the final three seasons it was a case of getting over the line more than anything Rio Ferdinand