It's less than a hundred miles up the west coast of the Iberian peninsula from Porto, where Jose Mourinho won the old UEFA Cup back in 2003, to the small Galician port of Vigo.
‘For Portuguese people, being in Galicia is kind of strange,’ he said after arriving in Spain on Wednesday. ‘We don’t know if we are back at home, or quite how to feel.’
Mourinho’s feelings towards the Europa League have certainly changed since he embarked on Manchester United’s campaign in Rotterdam last September admitting that he did not much care for the competition.It's less than a hundred miles up the west coast of the Iberian peninsula from Porto, where Jose Mourinho won the old UEFA Cup back in 2003, to the small Galician port of Vigo.
‘For Portuguese people, being in Galicia is kind of strange,’ he said after arriving in Spain on Wednesday. ‘We don’t know if we are back at home, or quite how to feel.’
Mourinho’s feelings towards the Europa League have certainly changed since he embarked on Manchester United’s campaign in Rotterdam last September admitting that he did not much care for the competition.
Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho speaks during a press conference on Wednesday
A dozen games and seven countries later, Mourinho will be in the final in three weeks’ time if United can overcome Celta Vigo, starting with tonight’s first leg at the Estadio Balaidos.
He spoke here about ‘closing the circle’ by making United only the fourth team – after Ajax, Juventus and Bayern Munich – to lift all four major European trophies. The cup that helped launch his success at Porto 14 years ago is also the one United have never won.
Of course, there is a practical element to Mourinho’s change of heart as well.
Successive draws against Manchester City and Swansea have dented United’s hopes of a top-four finish to such an extent that Mourinho may play a weakened team against Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday.
In his mind, the Europa League is clearly the best way back into Europe’s elite next season.
‘It’s the only competition that Manchester United have never won and it would be great to close that circle and say we are a club that won every single competition in the football world,’ he said.
Mourinho (left) wants United to become the first team to lift all four major European trophies
‘The Europa League is a long competition. For a team to be in the semi-final, it has to play the group phase and three knockout phases, and has to travel a lot. So when you arrive in the semi-final you want to be in the final. Celta want and we want.’
Although United only trail fourth-placed City by one point, their final four games include trips to Arsenal and Tottenham.
Mourinho has never lost to his old rival Arsene Wenger in 15 competitive games, but he is ready to make some sacrifices if required on Sunday ahead of next week’s second leg against Celta.
‘In relation to the Premier League, I think it’s too late because in the past month of April we played nine matches, seven of them in the Premier and we had too many problems, too many players absent,’ he said.
‘In this moment the perspective is different because the Europa League becomes even more important for us.
The Red Devils go through their paces ahead of the Europa League semi against Celta Vigo
‘Of course, it depends on the result and the way we analyse the situation on Friday after the match, but if we have to rest players next weekend we are going to do that.’
United’s injury problems were showing signs of easing when they landed in Spain. Paul Pogba, Chris Smalling and Phil Jones are ready to return from injury and Eric Bailly is available after recovering from the twisted ankle he suffered against Swansea.
Mourinho, who confirmed that Luke Shaw is out for the season after hurting his left foot in the same game, praised Bailly’s strength of character after previously criticising Smalling and Jones for not making a greater effort to be fit.
United will start as strong favourites against a club that has never won a major trophy and is playing in a European semi-final for the first time.
In coach Eduardo Berizzo, however, United will face a proponent of the high intensity pressing game and two in-form forwards in former Liverpool man Iago Aspas and ex-City striker John Guidetti.
Mourinho revealed he may choose to rest players for the Premier League trip to rivals Arsenal
Celta have beaten Barcelona three years in a row, twice putting four goals past the Catalan giants here, and Mourinho was quick to point out that a mid-table position in La Liga has enabled his opponents to rest players for Europe.
Berizzo, for one, believes his team can do it.
‘More than feared, Manchester United are respected,’ said the 47-year-old Argentine coach.
‘We have played against some great teams in this competition, and Manchester United is definitely one of them.
‘But we will win with conviction, identity and heart.’
