May 22nd 2025.
Last night, there was a bit of a heated exchange between Garnacho and his manager, Ruben Amorim. Garnacho had made some critical comments about his limited role in the Europa League final, and Amorim didn't hold back in his response. He reminded the Manchester United star of his own struggles in front of the goal, effectively firing back at Garnacho's remarks.
After the 1-0 defeat to Tottenham in Bilbao on Wednesday, Garnacho's future at Old Trafford was called into question. He was named among the substitutes, with Amorim opting to start Mason Mount and Amad Diallo in the two no. 10 roles behind Rasmus Hojlund. Garnacho did come off the bench with 20 minutes left in the game, and almost immediately forced a save from Guglielmo Vicario.
It's worth noting that Garnacho had started in every round of the knockout phase of the Europa League before this final. He had also been a regular starter in 23 of United's 37 Premier League matches this season. However, after the game, Garnacho expressed his frustration to the Argentine media, saying, "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."
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But it wasn't just Garnacho who had something to say. His brother, Roberto Garnacho, also took to Instagram to blast Amorim, accusing him of "throwing [Garnacho] under the bus." It seems that tensions have been brewing between the two for some time now.
Mount, who has received plenty of praise from Amorim since joining United, had a fine performance in the semi-final against Athletic Bilbao, scoring two goals and helping his team secure a spot in the final. And it seems that he has earned his place in the first-team plans for Amorim, as he was chosen to start in the final ahead of Garnacho.
In fact, during the post-match press conference, Amorim made a point to mention Mount's impact, saying, "Some players come in, like Mason Mount, against Bilbao and changed the game. So now it is easy to say. Who missed the big opportunity in the first half against Bilbao? Garnacho."
The situation between Garnacho and Amorim has drawn comparisons to another ugly stand-off that happened at the club not too long ago. In August 2023, Jadon Sancho had a very public falling out with Erik ten Hag, which ultimately led to his departure from the club. Although United is still trying to get him off their books, the former Borussia Dortmund winger was accused of not meeting the required standards in training. In contrast, Garnacho has been praised by Amorim for his determination and willingness to adapt to his methods.
However, openly challenging your manager's decisions is never a good look. We'll never know what might have happened if Garnacho had started in the final, but it's worth noting that he has also missed some significant chances this season. While his argument about starting in every round of the knockout stages leading up to the final is valid, the fact that he has only scored one goal in the Europa League this season suggests that Amorim had his own reasons for not starting him. Perhaps Garnacho and his brother overlooked this in the heat of the moment.
But the bigger picture here is that Garnacho has openly defied his manager at a time when the club is struggling. United is having a disastrous season, and tensions between the manager and players are the last thing they need. They cannot afford to let this situation escalate like they did with Sancho and ten Hag. And with the club looking to raise additional funds in the summer transfer window, this may have made one of their tougher decisions a little easier.
As Assistant Sports Editor for Metro, Tony Mogan sums it up, "The cast and circumstances are different, but the brewing tension between Ruben Amorim and Alejandro Garnacho is already drawing parallels with another ugly stand-off that engulfed the club not long ago." Let's hope that this situation can be resolved quickly and amicably.
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