On-site | Vidic: Manchester United s qualifying for the Champions League will satisfy fans, this is the goal

August 14th News 2025/26 Premier League season will officially kick off on Friday, August 15th, UK time. This week, football celebrities Ashley Cole and Nemania Vidic came to China to celebrate the return of the Premier League with local fans. I also took this opportunity to interview the two. In the interview, Ashley Cole expressed his expectations for Arsenal and Chelsea, while Vidic talked about his current views on Manchester United.

The following is a conversation with Vidic:

: Not long ago, we interviewed your old teammate Van der Sar, who said that the most important dive point in his career was the 2008 Champions League final. Which game is the most important or the most impressive one for you?

Vidic: Yes, it's the same game. You should know that not many players have the chance to win the Champions League, especially our final opponent that year was Chelsea. We won the penalty shootout and that stadium (Luzhniki Stadium) was the home court where I played for Spartak Moscow when I was in Russia. The finals were just two years after I played in Russia.

I played football in Russia and later joined Manchester United, but I returned to the same place and won the Champions League trophy. This feeling was really great. Because there were many friends and family there at the scene. When I first played for Spartak, Moscow, I really didn't expect that I could reach that level. After all, not many players who played football at Russian clubs could enter the England arena, let alone stand on the Champions League final stage, so this Champions League final is definitely a dream come true for me.

: You have said that you like Sir Ratcliff's efforts to transform Manchester United. Do you think Manchester United is on the right path now?

Vidic: Actually, I said before that when he took over, I said that he was a businessman after all, and he was well aware of how to run a large enterprise. The modern football world is actually like a company, becoming more and more professional, and requires professionals from different fields to perform their own duties.

I think his strategy has to change the club culture by changing players. We can see this after the new coach takes office, and he also marks the team through his own playing style. Obviously he made it clear that some players were not suitable for Manchester United. Perhaps some people will argue that these players are the top players in the world. But he chose to bring in new players, hoping that these players will implement his tactical philosophy and lead to success.

We always judge by victory, and even when I joined Manchester United, the club gave clear time to adapt. But if we fail to achieve results for a long time, we will also face trial.

I agree that the club must be reformed, and some players have been there for many years. We need to reshape our winning mentality and look forward to bringing the new mentality they expect through new players.

: Manchester United created the worst ranking in team history last season, and head coach Amorin was under a lot of pressure. What kind of answer do you think Manchester United will give in the new season can satisfy the fans?

Vidic: I think qualifying for the Champions League will satisfy the fans, and that's the goal. There are different reasons behind this. We ranked 15th in the league last season, but we were eager to enter the European game. If you can qualify for the European Cup, you can increase the chances of introducing new players and better players. It's a bit strange, but our goal is always to win the Premier League championship, maintain competition in the Champions League, and win the Champions League. But we are satisfied if we can participate in the Champions League right now.

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