The memories of the summer evening in Gdansk are still fresh - and painful.

In the final of the Europa League, the big Manchester United, which is no longer that big, met the small FC Villarreal, which is no longer that small.

Lo and behold, the football David defeated Goliath on penalties.

After it was all outfield players' turn, Villarreal goalkeeper Geronimo Gulli converted his attempt before he saved the shot from goalkeeper David de Gea.

The Manchester United player was the only David who didn't cheer.

Villarreal lifted the trophy.

Tobias Rabe

Responsible editor for Sport Online.

  • Follow I follow

That was at the end of May. Since then, a lot has happened. The Spaniards are in the middle of the La Liga table and fight in the Champions League for qualification for the round of 16. Opponent there is - Manchester United. The English record champions won the group game in their own stadium at the end of September with great difficulty. Cristiano Ronaldo scored the 2-1 in the 96th minute. At that time, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was still cheering in the coaching zone. If both teams meet again this Tuesday (6.45 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Champions League and at DAZN), the coach will no longer be there.

The club legend, who scored the decisive goal in the Champions League final against FC Bayern in 1999, has been coach at Manchester United since the end of 2018, initially on an interim basis after the departure of José Mourinho.

A good three months later, he got a head coach contract until mid-2022. But the Norwegian didn't get that far.

After the embarrassing 1: 4 at the relegation candidate FC Watford in the domestic Premier League, Solskjaer was sacked on Sunday.

Now his previous assistant Michael Carrick, who is also a former player from the club's golden age, will take over for the time being.

All hopes for Ronaldo

How long Carrick will be allowed to stay in his new role is unclear. Again, Manchester United does not seem to agree to let a man inexperienced in this position take responsibility for the expensive squad. Because as popular as Solskjaer was, the criticism of him increased in the end, even among the fans who adored him for his services as a player. A big plan was and can hardly be seen in the team's game. The defense is weakening, the midfield is not creative, and up front all hopes rest on the return of Cristiano Ronaldo. That is little. Too little.

Manchester United spent around 140 million euros on additions before the season: Ronaldo came from Turin, defender Raphaël Varane from Real Madrid and young dribbler Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund. The "Red Devils" should finally play again for the championship, which the club won in 2013. Now United is only in seventh place. In the Champions League group, the team is first, but if there is a draw or a defeat in Villarreal, there will be a nerve-racking game against the Young Boys from Bern in December to make it through. The first leg in Switzerland was lost.

So Carrick is faced with a tricky task. On the one hand, it is about the club not having to put off its goals prematurely at international level. On the other hand, it should bring the team back on track. This is difficult. Because in two days you can hardly practice the non-existent game idea that meets the requirements of modern football for flexibility, also for current situations. And so all eyes are on Ronaldo again in Spain. The star from Portugal scored five of the eight goals in the current premier class campaign. Without them, United would be last.

Nobody will say that the 40-year-old Carrick is the great hope for the future. Because even under Mourinho he was an assistant, then the entire time under Solskjaer. He didn’t leave any big marks, rather he was part of the lack of plan that has spread at Manchester United over the past few years. "I've worked with Ole for a long time and we have very similar views," Carrick said on Monday. That suggests nothing good. After all, as a former player at a high level with several titles, he has the reputation of the stars. But is that enough?

Probably not.

Therefore, Manchester United is looking for a coach who will take over and let the former Goliath grow again.

The speculation is growing wild.

Former Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane is said to have given up, according to the Times.

Erik ten Hag from Ajax Amsterdam and Brendan Rodgers from Leicester City waft through the rumor mill.

But you are bound.

This also applies to Mauricio Pochettino from Paris Saint-Germain.

With him there is at least one argument in favor of England: the family lives in London.

But the present is called Carrick.

And Ronaldo.

As so often.