Ruben Amorim has responded to Arsene Wenger’s bold proposal not to allow the Europa League champions into the Champions League.
The Man United boss was told of the Frenchman’s view that the current system is unfair.
Wenger had told BeIN Sports: ‘They [Europa League winners] should qualify automatically for the Europa League again but not necessarily for the Champions League.
‘Especially when you’re in the Premier League where already five teams qualify. I think it’s something (for Uefa) to think about and to review.
‘On the other hand people will tell you that to keep the Europa League focused, interesting and motivated you need to give them that prize (of qualifying for the Champions League).’
United are languishing in 15th place in the Premier League table and the only chance of rescuing their dire season is to win the Europa League.
Ruben Amorim placed all his eggs in one basket after United’s horror Premier League campaign
Andre Onana and Harry Maguire celebrate the semi-final first leg win over Athletic Bilbao
Arsene Wenger believes a rule change is needed so that the winners remain in the competition
It would be a massive salvage job and they have one foot in the final already, carrying a 3-0 lead into Thursday’s semi-final second leg against Athletic Bilbao.
On Wenger’s remarks, Amorim replied: ‘I just know the rules.
‘If people want to change the rules, by all means. But these are the rules and the rules are that you win the Europa League, you go to the Champions League, so we will follow the rules. I don’t think a lot about it.
‘I know that the Champions League is for the champions or the best team in the leagues. We are just following the rules.’
UEFA changed its rules in 2014 to allow the winners of the Europa League to qualify for the Champions League and the incentive certainly adds a layer of importance to the competition.
Since the rebranding of the Europa League, UEFA’s second biggest continental club competition, in 2009-10, no team lower than 12th has reached the final or won it.
Sevilla, 12th in LaLiga, lifted the trophy in 2023 while Fulham, who also finished 12th in the Premier League in the 2009-10 campaign, lost the final to Atletico Madrid in 2010.
United won the Europa League in 2018 during Jose Mourinho’s first season in charge and qualified for the Champions League despite finishing in sixth place.
United look likely to face Tottenham in the final, with Spurs 3-1 ahead of Bodo/Glimt ahead of their second leg.
‘We are losing games in the Premier League, but we are fighting for the Europa League so we need to accept that and to think about Thursday now’, Amorim said after United’s defeat by Wolves at the weekend.
‘This is the most important game for us.’
Wenger departed Arsenal in 2018 before being appointed FIFA’s head of global football development a year later.
He has proposed a raft of controversial changes, including tweaks to the offside rule and a biennial World Cup.
