Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim responds when asked about Alejandro Garnacho slamming his decision after Europa League final loss

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has responded to Alejandro Garnacho's comments after the UEFA Europa League defeat. He refused to divulge too much and asserted that the focus is on the final game of the season.

The Red Devils suffered a 1-0 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final in San Mames Stadium in Bilbao on May 21. After Brennan Johnson gave Spurs a 1-0 lead in the 42nd minute, they defended resolutely. Alejandro Garnacho started on the bench and came on in the 71st minute to replace Mason Mount.

After the game, the forward complained about Amorim's decision to start him on the bench to the Argentine media. In a press conference ahead of Manchester United's Premier League clash against Aston Villa on Sunday, Amorim was asked about it. He answered (via Metro):

"I always speak to my players, but the focus now is on the last game. I don’t know what is going to happen. We have a plan and we prepared for both situations, with Champions League and without.

"We have an idea what type of squad we want, but now we have to focus on the last game and we will have time address all of those situations.”

When asked if no European football next season would change his outlook towards his squad, Amorim added:

"No, what changes is one less competition, that game in the middle of the week. You can manage the squad in a different way, so that rotation of the players, the depth of the squad, that changes completely if you have three or four competitions.

"That changes a little bit the plan, but not the way I look at my players just by looking at the final."

Garnacho had, notably, started in all of Manchester United's knockout matches in the Europa League this season before the final.

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What did Alejandro Garnacho say after Manchester United's Europa League defeat?

After coming on in the 71st minute against Tottenham, Alejandro Garnacho completed 11/14 passes, made one key pass, and attempted one shot. After the game, he told the Argentine media (via Metro):

"There were a lot of things missing – when you don’t score goals, you always need more at the end. I played every round until we reached the final, I helped the team, and to play twenty minutes today… I don’t know."

Garnacho has scored 11 goals and provided 10 assists in 58 games for Manchester United across competitions this season. He has contributed one goal and four assists in 15 Europa League appearances.

The Manchester United academy graduate was linked with a potential exit in the January transfer window, but stayed put. He could now leave in the summer, with his contract expiring in 2028.