Manchester United's Coach Ruben Amorim: "Europa League is Harder Than Champions League"

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has expressed concerns over the demanding schedule associated with the UEFA Europa League, suggesting it poses greater challenges than the UEFA Champions League due to its impact on domestic league preparations.

Following a 1-1 draw against Real Sociedad in the Europa League Round of 16, Amorim highlighted the difficulties teams face when balancing Thursday European fixtures with weekend Premier League matches. He stated, "The Europa League is so much harder, in my opinion, than the Champions League. Not the games, but the recovery to play Premier League on the weekend. So we have to deal with that." 

This sentiment underscores the challenges clubs encounter with the Europa League's Thursday-Sunday match cycle, which often allows less recovery and preparation time compared to the Champions League's typical Tuesday-Wednesday fixtures.

 Amorim's comments come ahead of a crucial Premier League match against Arsenal, where the scheduling disparity is evident. Arsenal, having played their Champions League match on Tuesday, benefit from additional rest and preparation time compared to United's Thursday fixture. 

The congested fixture list has also impacted United's squad rotation and player fitness. Amorim addressed these challenges, noting, "People talk about our rotation, especially how we are changing all the time in Europe. It's because it is really hard in the Europa League."