Celta Vigo vs Man United - Berizzo channelling Bielsa in bid to guide Celta beyond United

Posted Thursday, May 04, 2017 by PA

Celta Vigo approach their historic Europa League semi-final with Manchester United with unfettered conviction as coach Eduardo Berizzo looks to follow in the footsteps of mentor Marcelo Bielsa.

The Galician coastal city is bedecked in sky blue as the club prepares for the first major European semi-final in their success-starved history.

United, by contrast, have been crowned continental champions on three occasions, although, surprisingly, they have managed to win just twice on their previous 22 trips to Spain.

"We hope first of all that the statistics stay as they are, just two wins away from England," Celta coach Berizzo said.

"How do you beat Manchester United? By being faithful to who we are.

"I think this team has a very clear identity, they know who they are and they believe in this identity: a lot of pressure, a lot of possession, recovering the ball quickly to attack again.

"The only way to beat Manchester United is to be faithful to who we are, facing such a great team."

Berizzo's high-intensity approach is similar to that of his fellow Argentinian Bielsa, under whom he played at Newell's Old Boys before working as the older man's assistant with Chile.

Bielsa oversaw Athletic Bilbao's famous Europa League victory against United five years ago and the Celta coach believes there are lessons to be learned from that quarter-final clash.

"I was a witness of Marcelo Bielsa's match with Athletic Bilbao against Manchester United and he found a tactical solution to that match and that might be a clue for us to follow tomorrow," he said, referring to a tie Bilbao won 3-2 at Old Trafford and 2-1 on home turf.

"Manchester United know what they are doing: how to manage the times, the pace, the defence, the attack.

"Tomorrow we want to go to Manchester with a chance of winning, a result that gives us a chance of winning and the only way of doing that, really, is being faithful to our own game."

Jose Mourinho's determination to bring a problematic season to a historic end means the United manager is willing to name a weakened side at Arsenal to ensure a place in the Europa League final.

EFL Cup and Community Shield glory in the Portuguese's first campaign has been tempered by Premier League struggles, with Sunday's 1-1 draw against Swansea leaving United in fifth - a point shy of Manchester City.

A trip to Arsenal awaits on Sunday and Mourinho could rotate his side given the match is bookended by semi-final clashes against Celta, with Europa League glory offering Champions League qualification and a place in the history books.

Only Ajax, Bayern Munich and Juventus have won all three major UEFA trophies, as well as the Club World Cup or the Intercontinental Cup.

"I don't think too much about the achievement," Mourinho said.

"I know it is the only competition that Manchester United as a club have never won and it would be great to close the circle and say 'we are a club that won every single competition in the football world'.

"Thinking about us as a team, I think it would be a good achievement with the many problems we have and would allow us back in the Champions League next season.

"So we have to try, that's what we are going to do, and honestly the Europa League becomes more important for us now.

"Of course it depends on the result, it depends on the way we analyse the situation tomorrow after the match, but if we have to rest players next weekend, we are going to do that."