Zorya Luhansk vs Manchester United: Jose Mourinho slams Uefa over icy pitch with clash under threat
Temperature expected to hit -7C as officials announce inspection to see if the game will go ahead
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JOSE MOURINHO has hit out at Uefa for making Manchester United play in dangerous icy conditions in Ukraine.
Thursday’s Europa League match with Zorya Luhansk will be played in -7C — presuming the pitch passes an inspection in the morning.
United trained on it on Wednesday night, with defender Daley Blind heard to say ‘it’s like rock’, with team-mates kicking the surface to assess how difficult it will be to play on.
And Red Devils boss Mourinho said Uefa need to think about scheduling group fixtures in Eastern Europe earlier in the calendar.
He said: “The pitch is hard and very icy. Uefa know the conditions of the pitch and everybody knows in mid-December the conditions in Ukraine and Eastern Europe are more difficult.
“If Uefa are worried about it they should change the fixtures and not allow them to be played in mid-December.
“If the fifth fixture is here it’s the end of November and not mid-December and that’s the problem.
“I know it’s difficult to have a better pitch.
“The stadium is beautiful and new. The pitch is the same. They are trying.
“People cannot make miracles. Let’s hope it is OK.”
Uefa and Zorya are hoping a large plastic sheet with hot air blown under it can take the worst frost out of the surface.
Paul Pogba does his best to stay warm
United are not only up against poor conditions in the Chonomorets Stadium.
They also need to buck an awful trend away from home in Europe to progress, having won only two of 13 away matches in Europe since Sir Alex Ferguson retired.
Mourinho said: “I can only speak about myself and my matches. If you want to qualify you cannot lose three matches away. That’s why we need points here.
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“The first game against Zorya was difficult for us but difficult for Zorya.
“This will be more of the same. We know it is a crucial match for us.
“We want to go on in the competition. Zorya are out but they have a match to play and we believe they are going to try to win.”
United just beat Zorya 1-0 at Old Trafford and need a point tonight to be sure of going through to the knockout stages.
They can also lose and progress if Feyenoord do not beat Fenerbahce.
Mourinho added: “We assumed from the beginning that it was an important competition for us, but difficult because we play Thursdays and then Sundays.
“It’s a difficult competition to play with the rest of the competitions. We want to try to win it. While we are in the competition we will try to win it.
“The first step is a difficult one to qualify from a very difficult group.”
The match is being played 550 miles from Luhansk due to the on-going conflict with Russian separatists in the east of Ukraine.
But the already eliminated home team are determined to go out on a high with a historic win.
Coach Yuriy Vernydub said: “We can make history for football in our country. That is why we will play as well as we can. Everything is possible.”