JAKARTA - Manchester United's young midfielder Kobbie Mainoo had a puzzle over whether to play in the match against Lyon in the Europa League quarter-finals or not. Manager Ruben Amorim also tried to mediate goalkeeper Andre Onana with midfielder Lyon Nemaja Matic.
Good news for MU with the recovery of Mainoo from a muscle injury. He also participated in training ahead of the first quarter-final match against Lyon at the Groupama Stadium, Friday, April 11, 2025 in the morning WIB.
Mainoo had to be sidelined since February 7, 2025 and the match against Leicester City in the FA Cup was the last for the 19th-year-old midfielder to recover and miss 10 games in various competitions.
However, Amorim has not confirmed whether Mainoo will be played in the match against Lyon. He was not in a hurry to field the England national team player.
"He has missed a number of matches. So we have to be careful with his condition. Of course we are happy he is back, but we also have to be careful," Amorim said when asked about the possibility of Mainoo starting in the match.
"We are happy because there will be many options. Especially that option with Kobbie's return. But we have to be careful. We want Kobbie to be really fit and fully fit," he said again.
Amoram said Mainoo was growing. He showed himself to be a talented young player so that he became the team pillar.
"As I watched Kobbie, I witnessed young people who were full of talent. I also saw Kobbie growing, especially in speed," he said.
Amoritism also said that Lyon's match against MU would run normally. There is no high tension and tension just because of the war between Onana and Matic. According to him, sometimes players do not listen to the full quota of other players.
Previously, Onana said that MU played better than Lyon. Onana's statement was immediately replied by Matic, who had played at MU for five years by calling him the worst goalkeeper in MU's history. Onana is clearly not comparable to David de Gea, Peter Schmeichel and Edwin van der Sar who have become legends of the Red Devils.
"You are none other than the worst goalkeeper in Man United history. So you have to be careful with what you say," Matic said.
The inspiration who defended Onana said that it was only a misunderstanding regarding the Cameroonian national team goalkeeper's statement. According to him, Onan actually called Lyon a good team.
"If you look at Onana's quote in its entirety, then the meaning will be very different. In the first sentence, he even said, 'Lyon is a very good team'. No one shows disrespect. He also has great respect for the opposing team. Sometimes, players do not listen to the complete quote, so there is a misunderstanding," said Amorim.
"I know Matic very well. He is a good person. I think he only hears half of [Onana's statement]. So this match will run normally," he said.
MU hopes to win the Europa League to win tickets to European competitions by competing in the Champions League.
The reason is, MU has no hope of looking at their position in the English Premier League standings. MU only occupies the 13th position or is at the bottom when the competition leaves seven matches remaining.
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