“It’s not a successful season for Manchester United,” says Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after Europa League Final loss to Villarreal

 

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was disappointed after their Europa League Final loss to Villarreal on Wednesday and said that this hasn’t been a successful season for the Red Devils. Solskjaer said that only trophies matter at Old Trafford but he believes that the team has the right characters to do it the next time.

United lost the final on a 11-10 penalty shoot-out after the match ended in a 1-1 draw after full-time. It was David de Gea who missed the spot-kick for Manchester United as Villarreal’s Geronimo Rulli made a good save. So, their trophyless run since 2017 has stretched further.

“It’s not a successful season of course,” Solskjaer said after the match.

“Sometimes one kick defines a season as a good one and sometimes a kick defines it’s not. Nobody expected us to finish second in the league but the boys came up just short tonight, unfortunately.

“Trophies matter and that’s what matters at this club so no it’s not a successful season. It’s the short answer.”

“Second doesn’t count for nothing. Manchester City win the league, we finished second. Doesn’t mean anything. Villarreal won the Europa League, we finished second. For us it’s nothing,” said Rashford.

“I don’t want to hear ‘they were so close’ because it means nothing. One winner, one loser. Today we lost. We have to find out why and make sure next time we don’t lose.”

Solskjaer also went on to say that he had thought about replacing De Gea with another keeper during the shoot-out as the Spaniard has a terrible record of late — 36 without a save after Wednesday’s game.

Solskjaer also said that Manchester United are looking to recruit two or three new players ahead of next season in order to strengthen their squad.

This could have been the first trophy for the Red Devils under Solskjaer, who came to the club as a caretaker manager in 2018 and then became a permanent manager by next year. The loss to Villarreal means he has to wait for his share of the Silverware.