| Manchester United return to the Champions League after a three-season absence, and their opening opponent could hardly provide a bigger contrast. United welcome Sabah FK, the Azerbaijani champions, a club founded only in 2017 and appearing in the Champions League for the first time. For United, this is supposed to be the beginning of a serious European campaign under Michael Carrick. The expectation at Old Trafford is obvious. Win, preferably win comfortably. For Sabah, however, simply walking onto the Old Trafford pitch is an extraordinary achievement. They came through four qualifying rounds, eventually eliminating Hapoel Beer Sheva in spectacular fashion. Sabah were behind on aggregate deep into the second leg before turning the tie around and winning 5-2 after extra time. Sabah are unlikely to come to Old Trafford and try to play United at their own game. Their most sensible approach is to stay compact, frustrate United and look for opportunities when they win the ball. |
