"We know we have a chance and we will take up the challenge. If we
can beat Southampton we can beat Manchester United and the players will
feel that and believe it."
Man United go into unknown in Europa League(Reuters)
Triple European champions Manchester United and their under-fire coach Louis van Gaal face a tricky task against little-known Midtjylland in the last 32 of the Europa League following Monday's draw.
United, knocked out of the Champions League
last week, meet the Danish league winners, an unsung club backed by
owner Matthew Benham who eliminated Southampton earlier in the
competition.
Midtjylland's pony-tailed chairman
Rasmus Ankersen, appointed by former financier and professional gambler
Benham, who also owns English second-tier club Brentford, issued a
warning after the draw.
"We have already beaten one English team so we are not afraid," said Ankersen. "We
are a small club with a small budget and we know we can't outspend them
so we have to out-think them and, so far, this way has worked for us in
the Europa League.
"We know we have a
chance and we will take up the challenge. If we can beat Southampton we
can beat Manchester United and the players will feel that and believe
it."
Midtjylland have adopted the use of
mathematical modelling and key performance indicators in their
management and style of play, factors Van Gaal will need to study after a
probable call to fellow Dutchman and Southampton manager Ronald Koeman.
Van
Gaal has received a lot of criticism following his team's Champions
League exit and their 2-1 defeat by promoted Bournemouth in the Premier
League on Saturday.
In other eye-catching ties
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp returns to Germany to face Augsburg,
another club in their maiden European campaign, while Sevilla, bidding
for a hat-trick of Europa League titles, meet Norwegian team Molde.
Former
Champions League winners Borussia Dortmund and Porto also lock horns
while Olympique de Marseille take on Athletic Bilbao, Anderlecht play
Olympiakos Piraeus, Shakhtar Donetsk face Schalke 04 and Lazio meet
Galatasaray.
The first legs will be played on Feb. 18 and the return matches seven days later.
Tags
SOCCER