Jose Mourinho has history with Europa League final referee Damir Skomina

Despite a nerve-wracking 3-1 defeat by Lyon in their Europa League semi-final, second-leg tie in France yesterday morning (Singapore time), the Dutch side progressed 5-4 on aggregate.

Until the injuries arrived, we fought for the Premier League title.

40-year-old Skomina had overseen Ajax against Manchester United before as he was in charge for Ajax’s 2-1 win at Old Trafford in the Europa League in 2012 when United went through 3-2 on aggregate.

But a continued absence from the European elite would surely lessen United’s bargaining power against the Champions League heavyweights – while success-starved fans grow increasingly disillusioned by United’s inability to entertain, particularly at home. They knew that, as their Premier League campaign continued to stutter, their Champions League hopes could be decided in an evening, in the notoriously unpredictable environment of a final.

“If we win the trophy, David wins the trophy because he played three matches against Feyenoord and against Fenerbahce”. However, he has failed to record a single shutout in the Europa League and will be eager to put on a display come Thursday.

“They (Celta Vigo) did very well, they gave us a very hard second half”, Mourinho said.

The Ivory Coast centre-back will be suspended for the final against Ajax in Stockholm later this month, leaving United manager Mourinho to grumble about Roncaglia’s provocation and his player’s needless reaction. We played, we tried to win. “But over the two games I think our qualification was deserved”.

“I am very proud of my players”.

However, Ajax will take confidence from the fact that sides that won the first home leg of a Europa League knockout tie by more than two goals are W4-D1-L1 in the return since 2014/15. We only have 15 so I have to play them but I have to play them in a mixed way and by periods. They are friends and they support each other all the time. Nevertheless, until the end of the first half, the result was the same, Ajax had the lead and they were complacently moving towards the finale.