Erik ten Hag eyes UEFA Europa League glory with Manchester United ahead of Twente clash - 'This club belongs in Europe'
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Updated 25/09/2024 at 12:57 GMT
Erik ten Hag admits he loves European nights at Old Trafford, and he is relishing the return of continental football. Manchester United take on FC Twente of the Netherlands in their opening UEFA Europa League game. The Red Devils last won the competition in 2017, and Ten Hag is desperate to lift more silverware after guiding the club to FA Cup success by beating Manchester City last season.
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Erik ten Hag has urged Manchester United to be "proactive" and "dynamic" as they get their UEFA Europa League campaign underway.
The Red Devils take on Eredivisie outfit FC Twente at Old Trafford on Wednesday night, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
It is the first of eight matches between now and the end of January, with the prize of a place in the last-16 on the line for the top eight clubs come the end of the league stage.
Speaking exclusively to TNT Sports, Ten Hag told his players to take the game to their opponents and savour another European night under the Old Trafford floodlights.
"Not only tomorrow, but in every game, we want to be proactive, we want to be dynamic, we want to play on the front foot," he said.
"We want to take the initiative, and that's what I expect my players to do.
"We have a good team. There's a good dynamic, there's a good spirit all over in the club, to be successful.
"We know we are not there, where we want to be. We know we have to work hard, but everyone is positive around us.
"They fight. Everybody wants to co-operate. We want to be together and we have a strategy of how we want to do it.
"I always enjoy it, European football. You have to compete with an opponent from different cultures, different football cultures and different leagues, so it's different players.
"You really have to put the effort in to know teams, to know their philosophy. It's so nice.
"But also, the European nights, often a certain vibe comes in. When you raise this vibe, the team can lift up and improve. You feel stronger after such nights, when you can have the success."
United last reached the UEFA Europa League final in 2020/21, when they were beaten on penalties by Villarreal.
They lifted the trophy back in 2016/17 though, beating Ajax 2-0 courtesy of goals from Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
But their qualification for Europe this season was in doubt, right up to the last kick of the 2023/24 campaign.
Only a slender victory over Manchester City in the FA Cup final secured a spot in the UEFA Europa League, something Ten Hag said is vital.
"We really had to fight for it last season, to be in," he continued. "So it was a great feeling after winning the FA Cup final that we are in Europe.
"This club belongs in Europe. It would be a huge miss if you are not there.
"We are really looking forward to it. Eight games to play in Europe. We want to be there. We want to compete there. We want to win."
Porto, Rangers and Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce will be future opponents for United as the competition wears on.
But they start off by facing FC Twente, who will visit Old Trafford for the first time.
The Dutch club are a familiar opponent for Ten Hag, though: he both started and ended his career there, accumulating nearly 200 league appearances over two spells between 1989 and 2002.
He helped them win the KNVB Cup in 2000/01 and says the Tuckers are close to his heart.
"So many memories," he laughed. "There's too much to talk about! I had great memories when I attended there as a fan.
"I remember I was taken by a scout for the first time just after the World Cup in 1978, when World Cup players attended. As a child, it always stays with you.
"In the old stadium, there were lots of memories there. I was raised there. The stadium doesn't exist anymore, but for me, it's still there, in my head.
"When you know so much about a club and a team, you don't take too much! You have to find the balance! We are Manchester United. We have our own style and tomorrow we have to play our game."
How to watch Man Utd v FC Twente?
Manchester United will host FC Twente at Old Trafford on Wednesday, September 25.
Kick-off is 20:00 UK time, with live coverage on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate commencing at 19:00.
TNT Sports is available across all major TV platforms, offering a line-up of up to four TV channels (TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports 2, TNT Sports 3, TNT Sports 4), and up to six digital or red-button channels (TNT Sports 5 to 10), and TNT Sports Ultimate plus TNT Sports Box Office HD.
The streaming home for TNT Sports in the UK is discovery+, where fans can enjoy a subscription that includes TNT Sports, Eurosport and entertainment in one destination.
You can also watch TNT Sports through BT, EE, Sky, and Virgin Media.
TNT Sports will show over 500 matches from the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League across the 2024/25 season. The streaming home for TNT Sports in the UK is discovery+, where fans can enjoy a subscription that includes TNT Sports, Eurosport and entertainment in one destination.
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