Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would be happy to play rest of Man United’s Europa League campaign over single legs after Covid travel chaos forced away leg of tie with Real Sociedad to be switched to Turin
- Man United pick up Europa League campaign against Real Sociedad next week
- Away leg of the last-32 tie has been switched to the Juventus Stadium in Turin
- It comes amid complicated travel restrictions in Europe because of Covid-19
- Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says he would be happy to just play singled-legged ties
- United reached the final eight of the competition in Germany last August
- Single matches would ease workload amid United’s domestic commitments
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says he would be happy for Manchester United’s Europa League ties to be played as one-off games rather than over two legs.
United are among the English clubs whose European fixtures have been disrupted by travel restrictions, with next week’s last 32 first-leg against Real Sociedad being played in Italy at Juventus’ home ground.
The final knockout stages of United’s Europa League campaign last season were played on a one-off basis in Germany, and Solskjaer would be prepared to do the same again.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would be happy to play the remainder of Manchester United’s Europa League campaign over single legs following a venue switch for the Real Sociedad game
United will play Spanish club Real Sociedad at the Juventus Stadium in Turin on Thursday
‘With Europe and different governments, we hope it’s going to be sustainable but the travel in Europe is difficult,’ said the United boss.
‘It’s not a decision we made but when one game is at a neutral venue it’s a disadvantage to the team that doesn’t have the home game.
‘That’s out of our hands, we can’t say we’d go to Turin and play one game, but I wouldn’t mind that at all – it would be one game less.
United were dumped out of the Europa League by Sevilla in a single-legged semi-final last year
Scott McTominay scored United’s extra time winner as they beat West Ham in the FA Cup
‘That’s what we did last season. We met somewhere neutral and made it a tournament.
‘Of course, home and away if we keep that going we do have a little advantage and it’s a disadvantage for Sociedad.
‘To have a game in Turin, for me I wouldn’t stand in the way, but there are probably other reasons why we don’t.’
