Manchester United must use the emotions they are feeling after the death of Bobby Charlton “in the right way”, manager Erik ten Hag said on Monday, adding that he hoped his team could draw inspiration from the standards set by the England great.
Charlton, who was a key figure in England’s 1966 World Cup-winning team, died at the age of 86 on Saturday. He helped United win the European Cup in 1968 and three English league titles as well as the FA Cup.
“Bobby was a legend — a giant not only for Manchester United, but for football. So his legacy, what he left were the standards, the high standards. We have to live it every day,” Ten Hag told reporters ahead of Tuesday’s home game against FC Copenhagen.
“(His statue) is in front of Old Trafford, with Denis Law and George Best. He is always with us and they are always a huge inspiration for us, every day and for every game.”
Asked about how United would deal with the emotions of the game, Ten Hag said: “We are professionals, it’s our job. You can’t ban emotions but you can use emotions in the right way.
“... Firstly we want to win and pay tribute to Sir Bobby Charlton; you always want to do that in a certain way and that is what we are aiming for.”
United are bottom of Group A in the Champions League, with two defeats from two games.
Real focused
There is no time to complain after Saturday’s draw against Sevilla — at least not for the team — as Real Madrid look to keep their minds on the match that will pit them against Sporting Braga in Portugal on Tuesday.
Los Blancos need a victory to approach Saturday’s Clásico with confidence and to have the chance to secure qualification for the round of 16, following their wins against Napoli and Union Berlin in the first two matches, with room to spare.
Jude Bellingham has emerged as one of the vital players for Real Madrid this season. He carries the potential to single-handedly change the outcome of a game. If Bellingham can deliver to his full potential, a victory should be within Real’s grasp.
Written with inputs from Reuters
