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Schweinsteiger misses Europa bus
MANCHESTER: Midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger has been left out of Manchester United’s Europa League squad by Jose Mourinho, as the midfielder continues to be marginalised
MANCHESTER: Midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger has been left out of Manchester United’s Europa League squad by Jose Mourinho, as the midfielder continues to be marginalised at the club.
Schweinsteiger signed a three-year deal at United last year after moving to Old Trafford from Bayern Munich, but has failed to feature under Mourinho since the Portuguese coach replaced Louis van Gaal this summer.
Having made 18 league appearances last season, the 32-year-old appears to have no future at United and has been training with the reserve team after Mourinho confirmed that it would be “very difficult” for him to play for the club again.
The transfer window closed with Schweinsteiger still with United, although his chances of featuring under Mourinho appear slim, particularly after he was overlooked for the 27-man Europa League squad released by UEFA on Saturday.
United have included teenage defenders Timothy Fosu-Mensah and Axel Tuanzebe as they look to qualify from Group A, which also contains Feyenoord, Fenerbahce and Zorya Luhansk.
They begin their campaign away in Rotterdam on Sept. 15.
Schweinsteiger made his final appearance for Germany in a 2-0 friendly victory over Finland in Moenchengladbach on Wednesday after announcing his retirement from international football in July.
MKHITARYAN DOUBTFUL FOR MANCHESTER DERBY
Henrikh Mkhitaryan is a doubt for Manchester United’s derby against local rivals Manchester City next weekend after picking up an injury on international duty with Armenia, the nation’s football federation confirmed on Friday.
Mkhitaryan was replaced after 38 minutes of Armenia’s 3-0 friendly defeat by the Czech Republic on Wednesday.
The injury has a recovery period of between a week to 10 days and rules him out of Armenia’s World Cup qualifier against Denmark in Copenhagen on Sept. 4 as well.
The 27-year-old forward is yet to start a match for Manchester United since moving to Old Trafford from Borussia Dortmund on a four-year deal this summer, but he has impressed in three substitute appearances to date in the Premier League.
