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Fernandes sets sights on Europa League trophy

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After Man United’s progress to the Europa League semi-finals, Bruno Fernandes says he is eager to go all out and win the competition.

Bruno Fernandes is already looking ahead to the semi-finals of the Europa League, with one eye on the big prize to be won in May

After going past Granada with ease via a 4-0 aggregate, the reward for the Red Devils is a potentially difficult tie against Serie A heavyweights Roma.

The first leg against Roma will be at Old Trafford on 29 April followed by a trip to Italy on 6 May. The final showdown is scheduled for Poland on 26 May.

United were knocked out at the semi-final stage last season in August against Sevilla and Fernandes wants to draw motivation from that to go one step ahead and perhaps all the way this time around.

“It was really important for us. We now have the chance to play again in a semi-final for the second season in a row and now the next step is to get into the final” Bruno told MUTV.

In the other semi-final fixture, Arsenal will take on Villarreal and Fernandes knows the Roma clash won’t come as an easy one to win.

“If you play Arsenal or Villarreal it would be the same so it is a big game, big team, big players… players who can create a lot of dangers and some of them we know really well from England,” he added.

“They have good qualities, but we have qualities ourselves and we have to show them. When we play them we have to show them respect, but at the same time we have to do our best to get to the final.

“All year is an improvement for us. We have to improve every season, it doesn’t matter now what we did in the past, what we lose in the past or what we won in the past, now it is about the future so our focus has to be winning every game to the end of the season.

“Roma is a part of that, the Europa League is a competition we want to win, so our focus has to be there.”

Speaking on the latest win against Granada at Old Trafford, Fernandes was pleased with the overall professional display by his side.

“We did well. We did the right things, we score and we don’t concede and that is really good,” said Fernandes.

“Most people may have thought it was an easy tie because Granada is not doing really well in the league, but it is always difficult playing against Spanish teams.

“We know they have qualities, they know how to play. [They are a] Really aggressive team who know how to press and how to kick you when they need! [Smiles] But we have won two games 2-0.”

Fernandes isn’t the only player thinking about silverware, with Mason Greenwood also eager to lift silverware come the end of the season.

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