Manchester United will aim to clinch a top-eight spot in the UEFA Europa League standings when they take on FCSB at the National Arena on Thursday.
The curtains will fall on the opening phase of the 2024/25 UEFA Europa League with Matchday 8. The latest round of fixtures will start and end with 18 simultaneous matches, including FCSB vs Manchester United at the National Arena in Bucharest on Thursday night.
FCSB and Manchester United have enjoyed solid, even if sometimes unconvincing campaigns in the 2024/25 UEFA Europa League. The two teams are in the top eight of the standings, with only one point separating them. So, they have their fate in their hands as they look to secure automatic progression to the round of 16.
The Red Devils are yet to lose a game in this season’s UEFA Europa League and have won their last four European outings. On the other hand, FCSB recovered from a slow start to the European adventure with a four-match unbeaten run, which has lifted the team to eighth on the table.
Meanwhile, Manchester United clinched a hard-fought 1-0 win over Fulham this past weekend in the Premier League to build some momentum. As for FCSB, they eked a victory by a similar margin, beating UTA Arad 1-0 thanks to Florin Tanase’s match-winning penalty.
Thursday’s clash between FCSB and Manchester United will be the first-ever match featuring the two teams. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the maiden meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
FCSB
Elias Charalambous has no new injury concerns hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The FCSB manager might be bereft of the services of as many as four first-team players vs Manchester United on Thursday.
Darius Olaru is the most notable absentee as he continues recovering from a shoulder injury. The FCSB captain accompanies Mihai Lixandru (muscle) and Octavian Popescu (knock) on the sidelines. Meanwhile, Charalambous is sweating over Vlad Chiriches’s fitness ahead of Thursday’s UEFA Europa League clash.
Stefan Tarnovanu is an automatic pick between the sticks, with FCSB lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Manchester United on Thursday. The backline should feature Valentin Creti, Siyabonga Ngezana, Joyskim Dawa, and Risto Radunovic.
As for the midfield unit, Baba Alhassan and Adrian Sut will pair up in the double pivot, aiming to keep things tight in the middle of the park. Florin Tanase will reprise the no. 10 role, with Marius Stefanescu and David Miculescu being the two wide attackers. Finally, Daniel Birligea will lead the line for FCSB against Manchester United.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Tarnovanu; Cretu, Ngezana, Dawa, Radunovic; Alhassan, Sut; Stefanescu, Tanase, Miculescu; Birligea
Manchester United
Unlike his counterpart in the FCSB dugout, Ruben Amorim has a new issue to worry about ahead of the trip to the National Arena. The Manchester United manager might be without five first-team players on Wednesday.
While Manuel Ugarte is in the travelling squad to take on FCSB, he faces a race against time to be fit enough for Thursday’s game. However, Luke Shaw (calf), Jonny Evans (muscle), and Mason Mount (hamstring) remain on the sidelines. Meanwhile, Marcus Rashford remains indefinitely unavailable.
Altay Bayindir will likely replace Andre Onana between the sticks, with Manchester United lining up in a 3-4-2-1 formation in front of him vs FCSB on Thursday. The central defensive unit should feature Leny Yoro, Harry Maguire, and Lisandro Martinez. Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot will continue as the two wing-backs.
As for the midfield unit, Ugarte’s situation means Toby Collyer should accompany Kobbie Mainoo in the double pivot. Finally, Rasmus Hojlund will lead the line for Manchester United against FCSB on Thursday, with Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo providing the creative impetus from the advanced areas.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Bayindir; Yoro, Maguire, Martinez; Dalot, Collyer, Mainoo, Mazraoui; Amad, Bruno Fernandes; Hojlund
Key Stats
- Thursday’s UEFA Europa League clash will be FCSB’s first-ever game vs Manchester United. They have lost their last seven games against English sides by an aggregate score of 20-2.
- Manchester United have won five of their six meetings with Romanian sides in all competitions, although their most recent match ended in a 1-0 home defeat to CFR Cluj in the 2012/13 UEFA Champions League.
- FCSB have lost only three of their last 22 home group stage matches in the UEFA Europa League (W11 D8) and are unbeaten in all three this season (W2 D1).
- Manchester United have not lost any of their last six away UEFA Europa League group stage matches (W4 D2) since losing 2-1 at Astana in November 2019.
- Against Rangers last week, Bruno Fernandes became only the second player to score 10+ goals in the UEFA Cup/Europa League for Manchester United, after Marcus Rashford (14).
Player to Watch
Bruno Fernandes
While Amad Diallo and Daniel Birligea were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Bruno Fernandes as our Player to Watch for Thursday’s UEFA Europa League between FCSB and Manchester United.
The Portuguese international has completed five years at Manchester United this week, and he remains as critical a member of the first-team squad as he was half a decade ago. Ruben Amorim will turn to his skipper to produce something special and take Manchester United to the round of 16.
Prediction
FCSB 1-2 Manchester United
Considering FCSB’s reasonably solid record at home, Manchester United will face a tall order to grab the three points on Thursday. However, the visitors have been impressive on their travels in the UEFA Europa League and will find a way to topple the home side.
Bruno Fernandes will rise to the occasion again, celebrating half a decade with Manchester United by producing the goods in the final third. However, all three results should be possible heading into the game’s dying embers. Ultimately, the away side should clinch the three points, with The Hard Tackle predicting a 2-1 win for Ruben Amorim and his charges.