Manchester, April 16 (IANS) Manchester United defender Harry Maguire spoke on the importance of winning trophies at the club and claimed a potential Europa League triumph would be special. United are currently in 14th place in the Premier League and have been eliminated from all domestic competitions.

Man United and Olympique Lyonnais are currently level 2-2 and the second leg in Old Trafford will be a season defining one for the Red Devils.

"It is so important. There is no doubt about that if we do win the Europa League, it is still going to be a disappointing season for us as players, but winning that would be a big bonus.

"Playing for this club demands trophies, and winning the Europa League would be a special one. It would give us access to the Champions League next season, something we obviously cannot gain through the Premier League because our results haven't been good enough,” said Maguire in the pre-game conference.

Maguire joined Manchester United in 2019 from Leicester City for 80 million pounds, a record fee for a defender, and has represented the club 237 times. He was the club’s captain before Bruno Fernandes was handed the responsibility, and it seemed as though the English defender was close to a move to West Ham in 2023, but the transfer collapsed, and he has since then signed an extension with the side.

Maguire is no stranger to criticism after being given a lot of stick for the majority of his Manchester United career, given the extreme price tag attached to his arrival at the club, but is now a valued member of the side. His impact has been evident on the pitch, and he is considered one of the leaders in the locker room.

Maguire acknowledged the United badge is quite heavy and comes alongside it ‘the responsibility to perform' even when you are out of form.

"You try your best to ignore it all. Focus on your job, come in on a daily basis, and do your best. I always said to myself, 'That's all you can do. ' Tomorrow night is another game of football, and you go on that pitch and you give absolutely everything. When you walk off, you say to yourself, I have left everything out there, and no matter how you perform, that is only what you can do.

"It is the same for any player who wears this badge, it comes with a responsibility to perform. When you don't perform and when the league results aren't good enough, there are people who come under the spotlight. I have been in that situation myself, but all you can do is day in and day out, do your best, work as hard as possible, and take each game as it comes,” he added.