MANCHESTER, England: If gaining a lot-wanted Champions League factors wasn’t motivation sufficient, Manchester United’s gamers are certain to be pushed by the reminiscence of Bobby Charlton on what will likely be an emotional night time at Old Trafford on Tuesday.
The match towards FC Copenhagen would be the first at United’s stadium since the death of Charlton, the England nice who for so lengthy was the membership’s high scorer and is taken into account by many to be the perfect participant in its illustrious historical past.
A minute’s silence will likely be noticed earlier than kickoff whereas gamers will seemingly put on black armbands. A wreath is anticipated to be laid on the sphere.
United’s gamers paid related respects to Charlton earlier than the Premier League match at Sheffield United on Saturday — solely hours after his death was introduced — and captain Bruno Fernandes was amongst those that devoted the two-1 victory at Bramall Lane to Charlton and his household.
Fernandes and United supervisor Erik ten Hag have been at Old Trafford to signal a guide of condolence on Sunday. It was a scene of mourning and commemoration for not solely an ideal participant however a extremely revered individual, too — “a true gentleman, family man and truly a national hero,” in the phrases of David Beckham.
Ten Hag mentioned Monday he needs his gamers to make use of the feelings stirred by the reminiscence of Charlton “in the right way.”
“Bobby was a legend, a giant, not only for Manchester United but for the world of football,” he mentioned at a information convention at United’s coaching advanced, earlier than which there was a minute’s silence in honor of Charlton.
“His legacy — what he left — were the high standards we have to live every day. First of all, our thoughts are with his family, wife, children and grandchildren. And what he meant to Manchester United, the importance to Manchester United, the standards he set, they were emphasized.”
The gamers and Ten Hag is not going to lose sight of the significance of the match towards Copenhagen itself, nonetheless.
United has misplaced its opening two video games in Group A — at Bayern Munich after which, extra surprisingly, at home towards Galatasaray — to make its double-header towards the Danish champions crucial to its probabilities of advancing.
“If you see the group, if you lose the first two games, definitely you have to win the next game,” Ten Hag mentioned.
To try this, United may be counting on extra targets from Rasmus Højlund, the striker who left Copenhagen in January 2022 to affix Austrian membership Sturm Graz for about $2 million and noticed his worth enhance 40-fold two months in the past when signing for United from Atalanta in a switch value $80 million.
The 20-12 months-previous Højlund has scored three of United’s 5 targets in group play.
Copenhagen is his boyhood membership the place his youthful brothers, Emil and Oscar, nonetheless play.
“You know it’s a special game for him,” Ten Hag mentioned. “He grew up at the club and you know he will be highly motivated. It’s for me, for the team, but especially, of course, for him to use that in the right direction, the right balance.”
Ten Hag mentioned left again Sergio Reguilon may return to the workforce after lacking the match towards Sheffield United as a result of of an sickness.
CITY APOLOGY
Manchester City would be the subsequent workforce to go to Old Trafford — and tensions forward of the derby could possibly be infected after some of its followers have been heard singing a derogatory chant about Charlton in a concourse at Etihad Stadium in the course of the match towards Brighton on Saturday.
City mentioned it was “extremely disappointed” concerning the offensive chanting from what it mentioned was a “small number of individuals” and apologized to Charlton’s household and buddies, in addition to United.
City added that the membership is making an attempt to establish the people concerned to allow them to be banned.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is printed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)
