Manchester United forward Alejandro Garnacho has hit out at manager Ruben Amorim for his lack of playing time in Wednesday’s Europa League final, Afrosport reports.
United lost 1-0 to Tottenham at Bilbao’s San Mames courtesy of a 42nd-minute strike from Brennan Johnson, ending Spurs’ 17-year trophy drought.
The Red Devils, who have endured a disappointing Premier League campaign, where they sit 16th in the standings, missed out on the opportunity to win silverware and qualify for the Champions League next season.
Garnacho was shockingly dropped from the starting XI by Amorim, who favoured Mason Mount, with the Argentine subbed on with 19 minutes of regulation time remaining.
The 20-year-old, who has 22 goal contributions for United this season, questioned Amorim’s decision to limit his playing time in the final, putting his future at the club in doubt.
“Up until the final I played every round helping the team, and today I play 20 minutes, I don’t know,” said Garnacho.
“The final will influence [my decision] but the whole season, the situation of the club. I’m going to try to enjoy the summer and see what happens afterwards.”
The Argentina international was linked with a move to Chelsea and Napoli in January, and his position in the club was not helped by Amorim’s response after the final defeat.
“How many times have we had this conversation, and it was the opposite? Some players come in, like Mason Mount, against Bilbao and changed the game,” said Amorim when asked if he should have brought Garnacho on earlier.
“So now it is easy to say. Who missed the big opportunity in the first half against Bilbao? Yeah [Garnacho]. Of course, now it is easy for us to talk about a lot of views.”
Roberto Garnacho, younger brother to the United forward, however, responded to Amorim’s post-match opinion with a post on his Instagram account, claiming that the forward had been “thrown under the bus”.
“Working as no-one else, helping every round, coming from two goals in the last two finals, just to be on the pitch for 19 mins and get thrown under the bus,” wrote Roberto Garnacho.
United will play Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday in their final game of the season, with a long summer ahead for the club, who have endured their worst-ever Premier League season.
