Share

Mourinho brushes off Lindelof concerns in UCL

Cape Town - Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has brushed off concerns about starting Victor Lindelof in their UEFA Champions League opener against Basel on Tuesday.

The off-season signing from Benfica hasn't featured for the Red Devils since making his competitive debut in the 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup over a month ago.

But Mourinho will give Lindelof his chance in midweek alongside Chris Smalling, with Eric Bailly and Phil Jones both suspended for the European tie.

The Portuguese coach feels that the Sweden international will have no problem playing in the competition, as he has plenty of experience on that stage with his former club.

"There is no need for him to adapt to the Champions League but he needs a bit of time to adapt to the Premier league, especially the new Premier League," Mourinho said in his pre-match press conference.

"He is very bright and very calm and step by step he will be there. I am more than confident for tomorrow [Tuesday], he is a very good player with a very good potential.

"Even if Bailly and Jones were not suspended, probably I would still play Lindelof and Smalling. They are at the same level, they are just different players."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should the Proteas pick Faf du Plessis for the T20 World Cup in West Indies and the United States in June?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Faf still has a lot to give ...
50% - 8 votes
No! It's time to move on ...
50% - 8 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE