Is Ruben Amorim right, or is this just an excuse?
Manchester United’s boss said after the 1-1 draw with Real Sociedad: The Europa League is harder than the Champions League.
Really? Harder than the top teams in Europe? Harder than Champions League knockout nights at the Bernabéu? Sounds like a stretch, but let’s give him the benefit of the doubt—at least for a minute.
The Scheduling Nightmare
Amorim’s not complaining about the opposition—it’s the recovery time. After a long trip to Spain, United has just 3 days to prepare for Arsenal. Meanwhile, Arsenal, who thrashed PSV 7-1 in the Champions League, get 5 days off before the same fixture.
“We need to survive Sunday. The team was so tired in the last 20 minutes,”
Amorim said after the game. And that’s the real issue—fatigue. The Europa League, with its Thursday-Sunday schedule, doesn’t allow players to recover properly before playing in the Premier League.
Squad Depth Exposed
Let’s be real—United’s squad can’t handle this workload. Amorim has rotated heavily—but it hasn’t worked.
“People talk about our rotation—especially in Europe; we are changing all the time. It’s because of this because it’s tough,” he said. The problem isn’t rotation—it’s the lack of depth.
United’s injury list is a horror movie. Key players are missing or running on empty. The constant changing of the guard disrupts the rhythm and makes it harder for United to find any consistency.
The Premier League doesn’t care
In other leagues where top teams can coast through games, the Premier League is brutal. There’s no such thing as an easy weekend.
Every game is a war. So when a team plays in the Europa League midweek, they’re stepping into a domestic war zone just days later.
“Every game is crucial,” Amorim said. “We need to win.” And that’s the problem. United can’t afford to take games lightly, but they’re being asked to play 90 minutes every 3 days. It’s a recipe for disaster.
Manchester United’s season is at a crossroads
The numbers don’t lie: 8 league games lost in 16. Knocked out of the FA Cup by Fulham. Amorim’s first season has been tough, and the fixtures aren’t helping.
If United are going to salvage anything from this season, they need to find a way to get through this.
Beating Arsenal would be a statement. It would also give Amorim’s men the confidence they can handle this crazy schedule. But if they lose? The slide continues.
So, is Amorim right? Is the Europa League really harder than the Champions League? Or is this just an excuse for a struggling team?
