REVEALED: Ruben Amorim Explains Why He Believes the Europa League is 'Harder' Than the Champions League

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has made a surprising claim about European football, arguing that the UEFA Europa League (UEL) is actually more difficult than the UEFA Champions League (UCL). While most football fans consider the Champions League the toughest competition, Amorim believes the demanding schedule of the Europa League makes it even more challenging.

Manchester United finished third in the Europa League league phase with five wins and three draws, earning a place in the Round of 16. In the first leg against Real Sociedad on March 6, the Red Devils struggled and could only secure a 1-1 draw away from home.

The bigger problem, according to Amorim, is the quick turnaround between matches. Just three days after facing Sociedad, United have a crucial Premier League match against Arsenal. Amorim believes this short recovery time makes the Europa League more difficult than the Champions League.

“We need to survive Sunday,” Amorim said ahead of the Arsenal clash. “The team was so tired in the last 20 minutes (against Sociedad). I think the biggest problem is not having all of our players available because of the schedule.”

Amorim explained that in the Champions League, teams usually play on Tuesdays or Wednesdays, giving them more time to recover before their next league game. However, in the Europa League, matches are played on Thursdays, leaving clubs with just two days to prepare for their domestic fixtures on the weekend.

“It’s really hard, and the Europa League is so much harder, in my opinion, than the Champions League,” he continued. “Not the games, but the recovery to play Premier League on the weekend, so we have to deal with that.”

Amorim’s comments come at a difficult time for Manchester United. The club is currently struggling in the Premier League, sitting at 14th position and securing only 33 points after 27 games. Meanwhile, Arsenal is in second position with 54 points, making Sunday’s game a difficult task for the Red Devils.

Despite the difficulties, Amorim remains hopeful that his squad can manage the tight schedule and still deliver a great performance. But with key players tired and little time to recover, United will need to do more if they want to get results in both the Europa League and the Premier League.

Their performance against Arsenal will be a real test of how well they can cope with the demanding schedule that Amorim has been concerned about. Will Manchester United prove him right, or can they rise above the challenge?