Embattled Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal has told fans following the clubs early exit from the Champions League “to get real and stop living in the past.”
He said: “The problem is that we have to meet the expectations – and the expectations at a club like Manchester United are very high, and that’s our problem.”
Since arriving at the club 18 months ago van Gaal has spent £250 million on new players, but claims other clubs have closed the gap on United since Sir Alex Ferguson was in charge at Old Trafford.
“You have to analyse the club as it is now,” said Van Gaal.
“You cannot compare it with 10 years ago, because there is an evolution in football and in European football.
“Now we have many more clubs who have the money, who also have the structure to – and are able to – win something.
“It’s the same in the Premier League.
“Next year, all the clubs in the Premier League will have a bigger budget than most of the clubs in Europe. That makes a big difference. Every club can also buy a player. The difference to buy players now is not so big anymore.
“The confirmation [of that] is every week. The bottom clubs can beat the top teams. There is no other league that is happens as often as it does in the Premier League.
“So it’s very difficult for a Premier League club to match with the other leagues in the Champions League.”
