The Europa League presents an opportunity for Manchester United to end a turbulent season with a trophy.
After beating Real Sociedad 5-2 on aggregate in the Europa League round of 16, Manchester United were drawn against Lyon in the quarter-finals.
The first leg takes place at Groupama Stadium on Thursday night and it will be the fifth meeting between the two clubs.
However, all previous ties between United and Lyon took place in the Champions League, so this will be their first meeting in Europe’s second-rate competition.
The last meeting between the two teams came in 2008 when the Reds won the European Cup for a third time.
United go into the crucial game after a scoreless draw with Manchester City, while Lyon recorded a 2-1 win over Lille.
Both teams will be expected a bigger challenge than what they faced in the round of 16 when Lyon breezed past FCSB and Real Sociedad offered very little over two legs against United.
Photo by Alex Dodd – CameraSport via Getty ImagesRasmus Hojlund determined to win Europa League
It has been a difficult season for Rasmus Hojlund on a personal note, with many critics quick to write him off.
The Denmark international has scored just eight goals in 41 appearances for United and it looks like Ruben Amorim will be targeting a new striker in the summer, amid links to Liam Delap and Victor Osimhen.
After recently ending a 21-match goal drought, Hojlund will hope he can finish the season strongly and take his goalscoring to double figures.
Rasmus Hojlund stats for Manchester United
However, Hojlund insists he won’t be taking much – if anything – from United’s European campaign if the team fails in their quest to win the competition outright.
“If we don’t win the trophy, I wouldn’t say it has been a successful European season, because that’s what we’re after,” Hojlund to Disney+, as quoted by Danish publication Bold.
If United qualify for the semi-finals, Amorim’s side will face either Rangers or Athletic Bilbao to decide who reaches the eagerly anticipated final in May.
Europa League triumph won’t ‘save’ United’s season
United sitting in the bottom half of the Premier League table after 31 matches played is inexcusable.
Hojlund has stressed that winning the Europa League wouldn’t ‘save’ United’s season, but it could lay the foundations for future success.
The 22-year-old said: “I don’t like the word ‘save’. It means you kind of forget everything else that has happened. It can provide a foundation for next season if we can put some games together.”
Anything other than the desired result against Lyon would see United’s season end prematurely.