Ruben Amorim says that the spit between Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana and Lyon's Nemanja Matic for the quarterfinals of the Europa League between the two parties is all a “misunderstanding”.
Amorim's silk travel to the Groupama Stadium for the first stage of this make-of-break collision knowing that the competition offers their only route to silverware and continental qualification.
Former United -midfielder Matic Branded Onana “One of the worst keepers in the history of Man Utd” after the Cameroon International had said that he was “much better” than Lyon.
Matic's breathtaking comments were followed by a pointed post on X by Onana who nodded at the fact that United did not win a trophy in the five seasons of the midfielder in Old Trafford.
The Tete-A-Tete was an important point of conversation at the United's pre-match press conference, where Matic's former Benfica teammate Amorim tried to distribute tension and offer context.
“Tomorrow [Thursday] It doesn't matter, “said the head coach.” If you see Andre Onana's full quote, it is very different.
“The first sentence is that Lyon is a very, very good team, so I think the players or coaches sometimes don't listen to the full quotes.
“Sometimes it's just a misunderstanding and I also know Matic. He is a great guy. It will be a normal game.”
Amorim confirmed that Onana will start at Lyon, despite the return from Altay Bayindir to fitness and believes that the 29-year-old, signed from Inter Milan in 2023, will find the commotion regarding his comments uncomfortable.
“It's really hard to deal with that,” he said.
“That is certain. Again, if you look at the quotes, you can't see any lack of respect there. Only respect, but try to give confidence and show trust in his team, especially in this year.
“So everyone can talk bad things about Manchester United. Sometimes our group as a player, as a coach, has to show some confidence in our team. I think that is all.
“Again, I know Nemanja Matic very well and how good a man he is. He hears some things in half, not the whole story. That is clear to me in this situation.”
What did Onana actually say about Lyon?
Onana was in a self -assured mood when he spoke with the press after he had held his ninth Premier League Schone Laeken of the season in the Drab Derrby Draw with Manchester City.
Asked for Lyon prior to the quarter -final first leg on Thursday, he said: “It's a very good team. We know some of them, but I don't think we should concentrate on them. It's more about us, what we are going to do.
“I think we are better than she, we just have to go there and show who we are. If we go there with a winning mentality and we are focused, remain compact and together and we will follow the game plan that we will win the game.
“Of course it will not be easy, but I think we are much better than they do. We all know the importance of this game, we are going there with the winning mentality, it is not our best season, but we still have something to win and we will go for it.”
Analysis: a stunning press conference exchange
Sky Sports News' Melissa Reddy in Lyon:
It is a rare event to be in a press conference and to be completely amazed – eyes as wide as the room itself, only compete with the piece of your mouth and a long -term breathing.
When Nemanja Matic started his answer to Andre Onana's claim that Manchester United is “much better” than Lyon, it had a feeling of Eminem's “he said not just what I think he did, right?”
There were only two journalists established in the UK on the media briefing, Simon Peach of the PA and myself. When we looked around the room before Matic arrived, we thought it would be a pretty withheld affair, because the total number of journalists present was not in double digits.
We had a quick talk about what we thought we had to ask Matic that was not treated in his recent interviews. He was Ruben Amorim's teammate at Benfica, and I wanted to explore that relationship and what characteristics the Portuguese had as a player who translated into coaching.
Simon was the journalist who had asked Onana what he expected from Lyon in the mixed zone on Sunday and understandably wanted to hear the reaction of Matic.
The expectation was that the midfielder would just say: “We want him to prove that he is wrong on the field.” Instead, Matic pulled a page from the playbook of Jose Mourinho in an answer that would afford his former manager a standing ovation.
Before he pronounced a word, his face hinted what would come. Matic started to answer the question … “To say that, you must have coverage for something like that.” Then, with a tone that “seriously” shouted, he looked at Simon and asked “Onana?” Before he puffed his cheeks.
The Knockout soon followed: “If you are one of the worst keepers in the history of Man Utd, you have to take care of what you are talking about … If the Gea, or Peter Schmeichel or Van der Sar, I say that, I will question myself, but if you statistically have been one of the worst keepers in the modern history, you must first have to say that.”
Matic Kromp did not get in while he went into studs, two feet and off the ground. I was told afterwards that the Lyon team was already aware of the quote and that it offered the motivation of the dressing room.
Onana's reaction, shared on X, had a singer of a final line.
His quote on Sunday was more too optimistic and positive for a huge game, instead of disrespectful. His social media post, however, was tough.
Can he support it on the field and will the game be just as explosive?
Until we find out, I will pick up my jaw off the floor.
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