Manchester United chief Ed Woodward faced a grilling from shareholders on Thursday when the club released their latest financial figures.
According to Sky Sports News reporter, James Cooper, the main line of questioning aimed at the club’s hierarchy was expected to be surrounding the potential ramifications that another season out of the Champions League would have on the club’s accounts.
The club’s whopping £750m kit deal with German brand Adidas, which runs for ten years, is littered with clauses and fines surrounding the club’s performance, especially on the European stage.
Therefore failure to qualify for Europe’s top club completion in his first season could cost Jose Mourinho and the board £21m in fines, spread across the remaining years of the deal.
However, whilst the prospect of another season without Champions League football at Old Trafford, with the Red Devils currently sat sixth in the Premier League, is a worrying one, it would be far from the grave underachievement many are claiming.
Mourinho is currently preparing his side for the knockout stages of the Europa League, Europe’s second-tier club competition, and, whilst no United fan has really been excited by a run of Thursday night games, it is still valuable preparation for the seasons that lie ahead.
Chelsea may have run away with the Premier League so far this season, however, they have done so without any distractions on the continent to speak of, neither in the Champions League or it’s little brother.
Therefore, whilst Antonio Conte has a squad of players who, at some point, have all been accustomed to the rigours of Champions League football, maintaining such imposing domestic form may be a struggle for them next term.
Meanwhile, despite being stuck on Thursday nights for the time being, Mourinho is building a side more than capable of competing on all fronts.
It can’t be forgotten that, whilst they are still just outside the top four, the red half of Manchester are still fighting on four separate fronts with an FA Cup tie against Blackburn, European clashes with St. Etienne, the Premier League and their EFL Cup final with Southampton at the end of the month all still on the table.
The financial figures released and the ramifications of potentially missing out on the golden pot that is the Champions League may have caused some concern to shareholders. However, in taking a step back, it’s clear to see that in the long run another year of Europa League football, while not desirable, could prepare the club for years of stability back at Europe’s top table once again, as opposed to yo-yoing between the top four, top six or even below over the coming years.