United can win Champions League, EPL by 2017, says Van Gaal

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal during the press conference - Action Images via Reuters

Manager Louis van Gaal has said Manchester United have a “realistic” chance of winning the Champions League and the Premier League by the time his contract expires in 2017.

Van Gaal has won league titles with every club he has managed and also lifted the Champions League with Dutch club Ajax in 1995 and finished runner-up with Bayern Munich in 2010.

“It is realistic to expect us to win the Premier League and the Champions League (before my contract expires). Because I did it everywhere,” Van Gaal told reporters ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League clash against VfL Wolfsburg at Old Trafford.

United sit on top of the Premier League table after seven games, but have made a poor start to their Champions League campaign, having lost 2-1 to PSV Eindhoven in their first match.

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“We have improved when we have to compare us with the team of last year, but we need still time,” the former Netherlands manager said.

“We have to improve to win the Premier League or a tournament like the Champions League.”

Van Gaal said he was still planning to leave after his contract expires in 2017, reluctant to break a promise to his wife that he would retire as planned.

“Normally I shall leave after next year but what is normal in our football world? You never know so I cannot answer that question,” Van Gaal said.

“But I promised my wife to go with her to our paradise (villa in Portugal) so it shall be very hard for me to deny that promise.

“Next year I am 65 and say I stay a year longer, it shall be very hard to my wife,” he added.

Man City not failures in Europe, says Pellegrini

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini during the press conference -  Action Images via Reuters 

Reuters: Despite being knocked out of the Champions League in the last 16 in the previous two campaigns, Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini does not believe his side have failed in Europe.

City, who lost their opening Group D game to Juventus and play Borussia Moenchengladbach on Wednesday, have been knocked out of Europe’s most prestigious club competition by Barcelona in back-to-back seasons.

“I don’t think we have failed in Europe,” Pellegrini told reporters. “We have qualified for the knockout stages in my two seasons here and then we lost to Barcelona, who are the best team in the world.

“We have beaten Bayern Munich twice. Last season we won our last two games against Bayern and Roma so we know how to do it. This season we lost to Juventus -- a strange game,” he added.

City will be without influential skipper Vincent Kompany for Wednesday’s game.

The club had not conceded a goal in their first five Premier League games this season when Kompany started, but have shipped six in the two league games in which the Belgium did not feature, losing 2-1 to West Ham and 4-1 to Tottenham Hotspur.

However, Pellegrini said the recent woes were due to the rising injury count rather than the loss of one player.

“Of course Vincent is a very important player, he is our captain and he has started the season very well, but I don’t think one player is crucial,” said Pellegrini.

“I think it is the amount of injuries we have had that has been the more important thing. We have a strong squad but it is not easy to sustain 11 injuries.”

On a brighter note, the club’s record signing Kevin De Bruyne has been in fine form and scored three goals from five appearances so far.

Pellegrini said the Belgian could develop into an even better player with the help of experienced team mates like David Silva and Yaya Toure.

“Maybe he had to play before he was quite ready, but he has given his answer on the pitch,” the 62-year-old Chilean said.

“He is a very technical player, and playing with David and Yaya will help his development into an even stronger player.”