LONDON • Manchester United's season ended on the lowest possible note, with their failure to qualify for the Champions League and no silverware to show for, and they could have started next term just as chaotically.
That was the nightmare facing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer if Watford had beaten Manchester City in the FA Cup final on Saturday, which would have resulted in his side entering the Europa League second qualifying round on July 25.
It would have thrown their pre-season plans, including the International Champions Cup (ICC) Singapore event at the National Stadium, into disarray, with United set to play Inter Milan on July 20.
But City did their cross-town rivals a favour by thrashing the Hornets 6-0 at Wembley, ensuring that seventh-placed Wolves will now go into the second qualifying stage, with United, who finished sixth in the Premier League, booking their group-stage berth.
Nuno Espirito Santo's players will be playing in Europe for the first time since 1980.
This season's Europa League final will be between Arsenal and Chelsea on May 29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, with the winner guaranteed Champions League football.
Meanwhile, Azerbaijan Football Association general secretary Elkhan Mammadov has promised that "there will not be any problem for Henrikh Mkhitaryan to travel to Baku".
Speculation remains rife that Arsenal will have to leave the forward, who is also Armenia's captain, behind in London.
There have been no diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia since the 1994 Nagorno-Karabakh War.
Mkhitaryan missed Arsenal's Europa League group game against Azerbaijani outfit Qarabag last October over safety fears.
Armenian citizens are currently barred from entering Azerbaijan. Exceptions have been made for certain athletes, but none have had the same profile as Mkhitaryan.
Italian World Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro was named coach of China on Friday, spearheading the ambitious country's attempts to become a footballing force at last. It was not immediately
Italian legend Cannavaro named new coach of China - World
worldsoccertalk.com/2019/03/15/italian-legend-cannavaro-named-new-coach-of-china/
Italian legend Cannavaro named new coach of China AFP March 15, 2019 AFP No Comments Shanghai (AFP) - Italian World Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro was named coach of China on Friday, spearheading the ambitious country's attempts to become a footballing force at last.
Football » News » Legend Cannavaro named new coach of China
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Man City appeal possible Champions League ban By superliga On Jun 6, 2019 0 Lausanne (AFP) - Manchester City have launched a legal bid to stop UEFA banning them from the 2020-2021 Champions League , the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said on Monday.
Man City appeal possible Champions League ban - worldfootball.net
Sport > Football > Premier League Erik Lamela demands strong finish from Spurs to secure Premier League top four place and pay back the fans. Tottenham need to hold off Chelsea with two points
Eriksen's Spurs future a 'special situation' - Pochettino - CNA
German champions Bayern Munich have not yet made an offer for Manchester City winger Leroy Sane despite their long-standing desire to sign him, club CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said on Wednesday.
Bayern have not yet tabled bid for Man City's Sane
Manager Maurizio Sarri says Chelsea's slow starts to the second half are becoming a "big problem", after they beat Slavia Prague to reach the Europa League semi-finals.
Chelsea beat Slavia Prague to reach Europa League semi-finals
Look out Liverpool: Aston Villa fit to break into top four - and they're built to last this time Most watched Sport videos Spurs v Liverpool: Jurgen Klopp's preview of Champions League final
Liverpool - Wikipedia
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Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey is set to seal a money-spinning move to Italian champions Juventus when his contract expires with the Gunners in the summer, according to reports on Thursday. The Welsh international will bring to an end 10 years at Arsenal at the end of the season after talks over a
(Reuters) - Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has said Eden Hazard is free to leave the club if he wants to but the Italian hopes the forward stays at Stamford Bridge. Hazard has been linked with a
Chelsea News: Eden Hazard is free to leave if he wants, says
Jurgen Klopp labels Liverpool's Barcelona defeat as 'best away Champions League performance' Klopp also praises "unstoppable" Lionel Messi while Andy Robertson and Virgil van Dijk call Messi "the
Why Klopp is to blame for Painful UCL finals defeat - Thewistle
Maurizio Sarri condemns the alleged racist abuse of Raheem Sterling by Chelsea supporters but wants the club's main focus to be on Thursday's clash with Vidi. The Blues visit Budapest this week for their final Europa League group match, having already secured qualification to the last 32 in top spot.
Sarri condemns 'disgusting' Sterling abuse - sg.news.yahoo.com
Football: Jesus shines as City regain top spot, Eriksen fires
Roma 2-1 Porto: Nicolo Zaniolo hits brace as Italian side secure first leg victory in Champions League clash but Adrian Lopez scores away goal
Need To Stay Focused, Warns Coach - fijisun.com.fj
AC Milan is just the latest in a long line of European football clubs to be taken over by Chinese investors. Under football fan president Xi Jinping, China has ambitions of hosting the World Cup and the country's top companies and richest entrepreneurs have rushed to pick up stakes in foreign clubs and buy foreign players for huge wages.
Di Maria dramatically better - Blanc | FourFourTwo
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