Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has admitted that he would have preferred not to face FC Twente in their upcoming Europa League fixture.
The Red Devils are set to play the Dutch side on Wednesday night in their first match of the competition. Ten Hag, who is from the Netherlands, confessed that he would have rather faced a different opponent, given his deep connection with Twente.
Ten Hag started his professional career at Twente, spending seven years there across three separate stints. His assistant, Rene Hake, also managed the Dutch club from 2015 to 2017.
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Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Ten Hag said, “I would have preferred to play against someone else. It’s never easy to hurt something you love.” He added, “There are many connections between Manchester United and FC Twente, including me, Rene Hake, and Ruud [van Nistelrooy], as well as our shared history with Ajax players.”