Europa League: Mourinho happy with Saint-Etienne tie

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Europa League: Mourinho happy with Saint-Etienne tie

Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho, has said he is satisfied with their Europa League pairing with Saint-Etienne, after avoiding further travel nightmare.

United have been drawn against the Ligue 1 club for the first time since the 1977 European Cup Winners’ Cup.

The fixture will also see their world-record buy, Paul Pogba, face his older brother, Florentin, in the Europa League’s round of 32 in February.

On his part, Mourinho is happy to avoid difficult trips to Turkey, Russia and Ukraine.

“The good thing is the travel distance,” Mourinho said on Monday after the draws.

“We travelled very far and to some difficult places in the group stage, to Turkey and Ukraine.

“But France is an easy flight, in an easy period with a lot of matches.

“St Etienne are also a historical club with lots of tradition, People of my generation will never forget the Michel Platini team, so it will be difficult.

“Manchester United is one of the big names in the competition and it will be hard for us, but we have two months without the Europa League and we can forget it for that time.”