Manchester United’s turbulent season under Ruben Amorim took another twist after it emerged that the Portuguese manager singled out midfielder Manuel Ugarte for severe criticism during a post-match debrief following the club’s Europa League final defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.
Sources inside the United dressing room told Goal that Amorim was “furious and unrestrained,” accusing Ugarte of failing to execute tactical instructions that left the team exposed in transition — a collapse that allowed Spurs to overturn an early deficit and win 3–1 in Lisbon last May.
“He went straight for him,” one player reportedly told the outlet. “He said the loss was on Ugarte’s shoulders — that he lost his discipline, that he let the whole team down.”
The confrontation reportedly stunned several senior players, with Bruno Fernandes and Raphaël Varane among those present during the exchange.
A Final to Forget
The Europa League final was meant to be the capstone of Amorim’s debut campaign at Old Trafford, but instead it became a symbol of inconsistency and internal discord.
United took the lead through Rasmus Højlund before two defensive errors and a late counterattack sealed Tottenham’s first European trophy in over three decades. Amorim was visibly agitated on the touchline, gesturing toward Ugarte during the second half as Spurs’ midfield dominated possession.
Post-match footage showed Amorim storming down the tunnel without acknowledging his players or staff — a gesture that raised questions about his composure in big moments.
“It was raw emotion,” said a club insider. “But what followed in the locker room crossed the line from criticism to humiliation.”
Amorim’s “Accountability Culture”
Since taking charge in 2024, Amorim has championed what he calls a “culture of accountability”, frequently reviewing matches in front of the full squad. But those sessions have also earned him a reputation for publicly calling out individual players
