Manchester United will face Athletic Bilbao in the first leg of the Europa League semifinals tomorrow night at their home stadium. Ricardo Sá Pinto attended the pre-match press conference and answered reporters’ questions.

United has recorded one of the worst possible statistics in the Premier League this season and is dangerously close to the bottom of the table. Sá Pinto knows that even a potential Europa League victory will not erase the results of this season but expressed hope that it could help them qualify for the UEFA Champions League and increase the club’s revenue.

Sá Pinto first spoke about the condition of Matthijs de Ligt and Amad Diallo: “They won’t be in the starting lineup, but they might be on the squad list for this match.”

Team’s plan?

We must prepare for the next match against Brentford. We’ve added some young players to the squad to be ready for the upcoming game.

Will winning the Europa League make up for this season’s failures?

Nothing will save our performance this season, but winning a tournament can be very important. Qualifying for the Champions League could change the club’s situation in the summer.

Attacking performance?

In some matches, we failed to create chances, but that wasn’t the case in recent games. Against Nottingham Forest and Wolverhampton, we had opportunities. Sometimes there’s no explanation for this. We need to create more chances.

Goal-scoring issues?

It’s clear that we lack goals, and this has cost us many points. We need to solve this problem and help our forwards improve.

Can you develop a new striker like Viktor Gyökeres at Sporting?

Our focus is on the players we have. Rasmus Højlund scored in the last game. Everyone knows he has talent. Joshua Zirkzee has talent. Chido Obi as well. It’s our job to help them progress.

Players’ mental readiness for Europa League success?

They’re ready. All our players are professionals. This season has been complicated in many ways, but I don’t see any issues in this regard. The players are motivated and capable of winning. This could change our team’s trajectory.

Club’s overall situation?

We’re dealing with many issues at the club, but with or without the Champions League, we’ll handle them.

Højlund’s condition?

He’s in a similar condition to the last game—he scored and worked hard. His movements have had a big impact on our recent goals, especially in the Europa League. I think he’s in good shape and ready to deliver a brilliant performance.

Need for consistency?

This is more of a club issue. Everyone knows playing at Old Trafford can create a special moment. We’re always looking for a moment to turn things around. We just need to be more consistent.

Europa League’s impact on club problems?

This competition won’t solve our problems, but it can take us to the Champions League and bring in more money. However, the issues will still remain.

Possible tactical changes against Bilbao?

We adapt to each game. Against Bournemouth, we faced a team that pressed high. Bilbao is similar. We’ll play according to the opponent’s strengths.

Bilbao’s style?

A very powerful team with high pressing and aggression—even beyond La Liga standards. They fight in every duel. They have exceptional players in one-on-one situations. Nico Williams is a very special player. They also have the best defensive line in La Liga, while we haven’t scored many goals. So, it’s going to be a tough match. We know that in the first 20-30 minutes, they’ll play with high intensity and pressure, and the fans will lift them even higher. We’ll be ready for these conditions.