Red Devils’ Mourinho eyes Europa silverware
BERLIN: Schalke’s Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Ajax Amsterdam’s Heiko Westermann have mixed feelings when they face their former teams in the Europa League quarterfinals today as neither man is expected to see a lot of playing time in Amsterdam.
Netherlands striker Huntelaar has not managed to become a regular starter again at Schalke after his comeback from injury, and defender Westermann has also rarely featured in what is now a young Ajax team.
“It is difficult for me at the moment. The others are doing a super job,” the 33-year-old Westermann said.
Westermann played at Schalke (2007-2010) before joining Ajax last year after terms at SV Hamburg and Sevilla. Huntelaar, meanwhile, had his breakthrough during his 2006-2008 term at Ajax and has been at Schalke since 2010.
However, the 33-year-old marksman admitted to dissatisfaction over his role as reserve as coach Markus Weinzierl prefers January signing Guido Burgstaller who has become an instant hit. “The way things are going at Schalke isn’t satisfactory. My contract is expiring so this is my last year at Schalke,” he told Tuesday’s De Telegraaf paper.
Both admitted to mixed feelings ahead of the duel in Amsterdam and next week in Gelsenkirchen – with Ajax happy to have finally come this far in Europe again while Schalke hope to relive the glory of 1997 when they lifted the trophy then named the Uefa Cup.
The class of 20 years ago was named Eurofighters and one of their key men, Belgian Marc Wilmots, said Schalke can go all the way in a bid to make up for a poor Bundesliga season.
“Schalke are stronger than Ajax. Anything is possible if they advance and don’t meet Manchester United in the semi-finals,” Wilmots said.
United are in Wilmots’ home country to face Anderlecht, and manager José Mourinho is well aware that a Europa League title brings with it direct entry into next season’s Champions League.
Mourinho has made the competition a priority for not only that reason, but also because it’s another chance to lift silverware having already won the English League Cup.
“I don’t want our club to be just happy fighting for top four and Champions League,” he said after Sunday’s league win over Sunderland.
“I want us fighting for trophies. We don’t hide the fact that we are still fighting for our situation in the Premier League but the Europa League becomes a fundamental competition for us.”
Mourinho expects wing-back Antonio Valencia to return after missing the past two games with an ankle problem although Chris Smalling, Phil Jones, Wayne Rooney, Ashley Young and David de Gea remain unavailable through injury.
Elsewhere, Celta Vigo are the lone side left from Spain which has dominated the competition lately – with the last three trophies alone won by Sevilla. Like United, they face Belgian opposition in the form of Genk.
Champions League drop-outs Olympique Lyon, meanwhile, face Turkish side Besiktas in the remaining tie. – dpa