Them not playing on their pitch will be a huge advantage for us. Glad for this.
Manchester United to face Real Sociedad in the last 32 of the Europa League
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I think bigger advantage would be us not playing on our pitch.
My biggest worry for this fixture is for Oyarzabal to complete a couple of take-ons and score a tap-in and a pen. You just know that a meaningful portion of our fanbase will set off a Oyarzabal>Sancho movement that'll haunt us throughout the whole summer until the last minute of deadline day.
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Real Sociedad director of football Roberto Olabe has called for UEFA to turn their Europa League clash against Manchester United into a one-off game.
However, due to Coronavirus regulations in Spain meaning flights from England are banned, the club have been forced to find an alternative arrangement for the tie.
Earlier this week it was confirmed that the two sides would meet in Turin instead, which, while a solution to the issue, means Sociedad have lost home advantage for the game.
That is not something Manchester United will have to worry about for the second leg, with Sociedad still permitted to enter the country for that game.
That’s something Olabe isn’t impressed with, believing that the game should be changed to make things fairer.
“I would like the return to be also on a neutral ground or for UEFA to appoint a single venue for a one-game tie as it did last year,” Diario Vasco report him saying.
“It does not seem coherent to me that as the home team, we play in a neutral field and as a visitor, we do it there, but that’s the way things are.
“I’m very excited, and yes, I think we can eliminate them. However, Manchester United have one of the most complete squads in the world, with an exceptional level of players.”
Does seem a bit ridiculous doesn't it?
They can't play at home but we can. It really should 2 legs in a neutral venue.
They can't play at home but we can. It really should 2 legs in a neutral venue.
It is the Spanish govt restrictions. You can't blame them with what's going on really
Just move back to the one-legged ties of last season. It’s really not that hard.
And it’s the English government’s fault for being completely inept at handling a pandemic. But neither of the clubs have anything to do with their respective governments.
I do tend to agree with him. 2 neutral ties would be the fairest, though neither club to blame of course
You can blame UEFA for not adapting to the situation way in advance though. This is a rule from a pre-pandemic time and surely they’ve had enough time and opportunity to change it before it began causing issues.
The government have feck all to do with it really - if one club can't host another but the opposite number can, they should keep both ties in neutral venues.
It’s interesting how he was able to get tickets if Spain doesn’t allow visitors from Britain? Not sure at which point they execute the ban, is it on the stage of buying tickets or boarding the plane, but surely the same restrictions that apply to United team apply to Mitten?It should help us a bit because they must travelling too.
But some journalists aren't happy
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Is the home advantage even a thing anymore? Without fans it's irrelevant really... only the travelling to consider but how much does that affect players mentality?
Well statistically it does seem to be a lot less this season in England especially, not sure about elsewhere.
But i'd expect the advantage of not having to travel at all will help. IMO it just doesn't seem very fair in competition.
It's supposed to be 2 teams going at eachother on an even footing, you can't say RS are getting that. We'd all feel doubly pissed off if it happened the other way around.
Thought Mitten was living in Spain.
I completely agree with the Sociedad director and would prefer it be a one leg game -anyway-, I'm sure many of TPTB at Manchester United would echo his sentiments.
It will be the television companies driving the two legged games. Sod the safety of the players.
Indeed. Sod the safety of the players, the sanctity of the competition, and the fans who won't even get to see the game live anyway even at a neutral venue. Pointless. And personally I enjoyed the Europa League far, far more with one off games anyway (even though we lost in the end)
I really enjoyed the tournament version they did last season. Of course there wasn't a European Championship to get in the way. Certainly wouldn't complain if they make it one off games.
Oh, my bad then.
Don't take it as gospel, but I am sure he did at one point.
Home advantage? Without fans?
Seeing our shite home record I'd take a neutral venue in a second. Play both legs at turin!
The situation is far worse here (Spain) than it is in England. Each city has different rules and regulations (not based on how bad the corona situation is) and it’s pretty unfair. However, instead of constantly bitching about - and bizarrely blaming - the government, who have an extremely difficult, if not impossible job, the people are working together to maintain positivity and do the best they can.
Anyway, this should be a 1 legged match in Turin.
Zero point in a neutral venue for both games. That’s the worst option.
the problem you have is that some ties will be able to go ahead as planned - more ties unaffected than not? If that’s the case - then this is the best option. Sucks for them, but it’s just unlucky.
in retrospect - these games should have been one matches at a neutral venue. But you can’t change that at the last minute.
the problem you have is that some ties will be able to go ahead as planned - more ties unaffected than not? If that’s the case - then this is the best option. Sucks for them, but it’s just unlucky.
in retrospect - these games should have been one matches at a neutral venue. But you can’t change that at the last minute.
Does it even matter? Not like either club will have fans at their home games, so what home advantage do you have beyond players not having to deal with travel and getting more rest?
Sociedad is an average spanish side - and not even close to being among the 5 best teams in the Europa League. Maybe it was the hardest draw we could get, it still doesn't change the fact that they aren't a particularly good side. They are 16 points behind Atletico Madrid who also have 2 games in hand.
They have picked up 12 points from their last 12 matches
They have 4 players who have scored more or less all their goals in the league - one is injured and one is on-loan to Wolves. That leaves us with Isak and Portu with 11 goals combined. The rest of the team have scored 9 goals.
It's a team we should beat - as easy as that
They have picked up 12 points from their last 12 matches
They have 4 players who have scored more or less all their goals in the league - one is injured and one is on-loan to Wolves. That leaves us with Isak and Portu with 11 goals combined. The rest of the team have scored 9 goals.
It's a team we should beat - as easy as that
Just turn it into a 0 off game then, whining fvcks, and we can have a bye, and reduce meaningless games in this tin pot comp
100% - there's already massive fixture congestion, this issue is just going to get worse, and there's less chance of covid transmission while travelling
You've answered your own question there. Plus being used to your home ground plays a part I guess.
Yeah, but unfortunately, those parasites at UEFA will never hold the rest of the tournament as one legged ties in Budapest. Less money.
Yeah he lives in Barcelona. Still pretty crazy how much he was travelling before this lock down, but I guess journalism is journalism, so it’s easy enough to get exemptions.
There's more to being at home than just fans, surely you realise that?
Fully agree with this. We are living in unique times and Football authorities need to adjust accordingly. One legged ties on a neutral venue for all.
Fixture congestion and lack of fans, make all games neutral and one legged.
Simple as that.
Simple as that.
All games should be one off games in neutral venues
Might also be a good idea if they get through the next round of fixtures if they took both competitions to one country each and ended it as they did last season. Contain the event and let the respective leagues to use the available dates to get their leagues finished earlier.
He lives in Barcelona.
No. Home advantage works at the lower levels when pitches are vastly different and affect play styles.
Professionals and elite clubs, it's the same rectangle of grass lads, go and play.
Makes a mockery of the away leg rule. Can see a team getting shafted here by it.