Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has said that Diogo Dalot “is doing everything to recover” from a calf problem in time to be involved in the Europa League final on May 21.
The Red Devils will contest the final of the European competition against Tottenham Hotspur in Bilbao, with the two English clubs navigating their way through their semi-final ties on Thursday night.
Man United beat Athletic Bilbao 4-1 at Old Trafford in the second leg of their last-four tie to triumph 7-1 on aggregate, while Spurs were 2-0 winners over Bodo/Glimt to secure a 5-1 aggregate success.
Dalot was again not involved against Athletic, with the Portugal international on the sidelines due to a calf problem, but Amorim has said that the right-back “is doing everything to recover” in time for the showpiece event.
“Diogo Dalot is doing everything to recover and I think they will push now to be available. Some players cannot play 90 minutes and you have to protect them, to not get injuries for the final,” Amorim told reporters.
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Amorim hopeful over Dalot fitness for Europa League final
The 26-year-old has been a vital player for Man United this season, making 51 appearances in all competitions, scoring three goals and registering five assists in the process, including three goals in 12 Europa League outings, but he has now missed the team’s last four matches.
Man United will be back in action against West Ham United in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon before taking on Chelsea on May 16, five days before the final of the Europa League in Bilbao.
“It was a good result. If you look at both games, it was so much tougher than if you look at the result. We have so many weaknesses in the game and you can understand that in the game. But we are fighting, and we deserve, if you look at the two games, to be in the final,” Amorim told reporters after Thursday’s clash with Athletic, with the team now preparing to tackle Spurs in the final.
“Every game has its history, we lost our last three games (against Tottenham) and now we can win the next one. If you look at the odds, we are closer to winning than to lose. Both teams are going to play like all or nothing, in this kind of game, as it is quite similar with the coaches.
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Man United will face Tottenham in the Europa League final
“I know that Ange [Postecoglou] has one more year [there] and it is different, the context, but we are both struggling in this context. So I don’t know what is going to happen, that is a good thing. That is a bad thing about this team, I just never know.
“And I can try and prepare for the game but we are improving and we have more solutions. You can see that and you can take [Alejandro] Garnacho, who gives us that speed and transition, for Amad and to have that possibility can help us win games.
“Mason Mount, Kobbie Mainoo, all these players, we can choose from these players to prepare for a final in a better way. We have to understand it is a final and we have to be different than in Premier League games.”
Athletic gave Man United a scare on Thursday night when they took the lead in the 31st minute of the contest through Mikel Jauregizar, but the home side went on to score four times in the latter stages, with Mason Mount registering twice, while Casemiro and Rasmus Hojlund were also on the scoresheet.
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