Jose Mourinho is willing to shoulder the blame for Manchester United’s Champions League exit, if recent reports are to be believed.
United crashed out of Europe to Sevilla following a 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford, with Mourinho coming in for heavy criticism for his characteristically pragmatic approach to both legs against the La Liga outfit.
While it remains to be seen if such a dismal night and the subsequent barrage of grim post-mortems will change how Mourinho sets his team up, it appears that he is at least aware that a healthy chunk of the responsibility for what is arguably the lowest ebb of his time at the United helm.
No surprise https://t.co/mDFIsJxuwF
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) March 15, 2018
According to The Times, Mourinho addressed a tearful group of United players immediately following the game. Although several of United’s big-money stars failed to impress, Mourinho decided against reacting angrily, instead reportedly telling the players “when we win, we all win, when we lose, I lose alone.”
Mourinho also visited the away dressing room to congratulate a buoyant Sevilla squad, wishing them luck for the rest of the competition. The Sevilla players appreciated Mourinho’s act of goodwill, responding with a round of applause.
In his post-match press conference, Mourinho admitted that wholesale changes are required if United are to return to the summit of English football and re-establish themselves as a European force.
The beginning of the end? https://t.co/ePC8NPcT3F
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) March 15, 2018
“Everything. Everything has to change,” he said.
“Everybody spends money, right? Not just us, no? It’s a natural process, every team invests.”
Mourinho is expected to oversee another summer of widespread personnel changes at United, with Matteo Darmian, Daley Blind, Marouane Fellaini and Zlatan Ibrahimovic among those expected to depart. Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Fred and Barcelona’s impressive centre-half Samuel Umtiti have been linked with a move to Old Trafford.
