JOSE MOURINHO admits the Europa League is not the competition Manchester United want to compete in but they are determined to win it.
The Red Devils boss and his squad, minus captain Wayne Rooney, Luke Shaw and Antonio Valencia, arrived in Rotterdam on Wednesday ahead of their opening group game against Dutch league leaders Feyenoord on Thursday.
And the Portuguese coach, who won the trophy with Porto in 2004, admitted he side had to face up to the reality of not being in the Champions League if they are to conquer Europe second-choice prize.
Mourinho said: “This is not a competition Manchester United wants, it’s not a competition that I want, and it’s not a competition the players want, but it is the competition where we are and that’s the reality.
“We have to look at the competition with respect. I think that we want to do well in the competition and for a club with our ambition we do not want to go out in the group stage – we want to do well.
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“I know that is not easy, this group stage could easily be a Champions League group, with the clubs that are fighting for the title. Clubs such as Fenerbahce, Feyenoord and Manchester United… But this is the competition where we are.”
Mourinho revealed his decision to leave the skipper and his first-choice full-backs back in England was to keep them fresh for the Premier League clash with Watford on Sunday.
He feels he has a lot of “solutions” within his squad to cope with the absence of the trio.
And he will not hesitate in leaving key man out in the competition further down the line to cope wit the hectic schedule, especially as he feels they receive no help from the Premier League.
“Since the beginning of the season we didn’t get that privilege. So when we play Thursday, we were never given the Monday slot to have one more day.
“We know that we are not going to have any support for that, in fact in the week we play Liverpool, Chelsea and Fenerbahce, the gift we had was to play Liverpool on the Monday.
“But the Monday before, not after… So we play Liverpool on the Monday, Fenerbahce on the Thursday and Chelsea on the Sunday.
“We know that we are not going to get any support about that. But my squad is good, I like my players and I have no problems to do what I did this time and leave home three or four.
“We have to play with the squad and that is good for all the players and they can show how good they are.”
Despite the busy schedule it would bring, and leaving some of his key men at home, Mourinho’s winning obsession will not allow him to send a side out to roll over in Holland.
He was adamant that every game for Manchester United is a vital one and the Europa League is high up on their priorities this season.
Mourinho said: “It’s a big club and I think the next match is always important when you play for Man Utd. The players must realise that.
“Many times you start losing before the match starts because you don’t find the right attitude.
“I think you can see by our selection of players we have come to respect the opponent and we have come to win the game and we want to win the competition.
“I have to find that motivation and give it to the players as I know that the Europa League is not the big dream of every big player but we are not in the Champions League so we have to find our motivation in the competition we are in.”
He added: “To lose we would bring kids but maybe in this moment that would be the wrong message to my players.
“I’m going to play with the players that I think can collectively be strong and try to win the game.
“I know it’s away from home, but if you start with a defeat then you put more pressure on yourself to reach the ten or eleven points you need to qualify.
“I always think in the group stage a good start is good and we will try that tomorrow.”
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