Ruben Amorim Laughs Off Challenge of ‘Improving’ Manchester City as He and Hugo Viana Prepare for Rival Premier League Roles
Ruben Amorim and Hugo Viana have spent years working side-by-side at Sporting Lisbon, but soon they’ll be rivals in Manchester, as Amorim prepares to take over as Manchester United manager, while Viana heads to Manchester City as sporting director.
Amorim, who’s overseen Sporting’s rise in Portugal alongside Viana, was quick to joke about the challenge of improving City. “It’s hard to improve Manchester City at the moment!” he told TNT Sports, laughing about his friend’s new role at the Etihad. “We will be friends until the end, but I have my way and I chose Manchester United…it’s going to be fun.”
While Viana is set to inherit Txiki Begiristain’s legacy—a tenure that’s seen City break records under Pep Guardiola—Amorim is keen to return United to its glory days. However, Amorim knows well the challenge of going up against Guardiola’s relentless team. Reflecting on their past dominance, he’s determined to break United free from City’s shadow and rekindle the rivalry with a fresh approach.
In a twist of timing, Amorim’s Sporting side will face Manchester City this week in his penultimate game with the club. “For me, he [Guardiola] is the best coach in the world, which I know is tough for Manchester United fans, but I think they are the best team in the world,” Amorim admitted. “For now, though, I’m just focused on my last home game with Sporting.”
