“I don’t know” why I’m not under more pressure, admits Amorim ahead of UEFA Europa League final | OneFootball

Ruben Amorim was in remarkably high spirits when he addressed the media ahead of Wednesday’s UEFA Europa League final, viewed by some as the make-or-break match of his Manchester United tenure to date.

United’s form has been turbulent since the Portuguese manager took charge in late 2024, but The Red Devils are now just 90 minutes away from qualifying for the UEFA Champions League that “can help us have the feeling to build the future,” as he explained during his pre-match press conference on Tuesday.

40-year-old Amorim expressed a desire to steer Manchester United back to their glory days of the past and acknowledged that he needs “to be excited and confident” in order to do so – but the former Sporting boss also admitted that “it’s hard to point to one thing” that needs to improve.

“I already know the problem with a lot of things we need to change in our club,” he told reporters at San Mamés ahead of the final, mentioning specifically “the way we do everything in the week at Carrington, the recruitment [and] the academy.”

“I think we need to improve but it’s hard to point to one thing. It won’t be solved by winning a cup. I will say it again, we have bigger things to deal with to put this club back to the top. Tomorrow will be important for us, for our fans, to have that feeling of winning that can help us have the strength for every job we have to do. We have a lot to do in our club, not just winning tomorrow but tomorrow will be massive for our fans.”

But after a dismal Premier League campaign that leaves the Red Devils just two places above the relegation zone, Amorim admitted that he’s unsure why he’s not under more pressure from fans and the media.

“I know that, in this kind of club – also in Tottenham, but especially in Manchester United – it’s strange to have some coaches here they lose some games and they are sacked. It’s hard to explain. I think people are seeing what I’m trying to do. Sometimes I’m thinking more of the club than myself, so people understand, especially the board. We have lots of possibilities in this context, it’s really hard.”

He continued: “I don’t know how to explain how the fans like me in this moment. It’s hard to explain. I will try to prove myself to the fans and to the board but I don’t have an explanation for you. Again, I think it’s a good thing for me to never worry about that. It’s part of being a coach. The most important thing is to know what you’re doing and I explained everything. Again, before, when I explained about the storm and all the problems we have to the board. So I was clear. I won’t change my idea.”

“They know they cannot say one thing that I said to get the job and then I change my mind. It was the opposite. I think the board can understand that, the fans can understand that, but we’ll reach a moment when we have to win. No matter what. So I don’t have an explanation for that.”

Manchester United face Spurs in the UEFA Europa League final at 20:00 BST [21:00 CEST] on Wednesday 21 May.