Manchester United duo to miss UEFA Super Cup clash

Manchester United may be facing defensive crises ahead of their UEFA Super Cup tie with Real Madrid next week.

Centre backs Phil Jones and Eric Bailly have been banned by UEFA for different offences, and will now miss the match against Madrid.

Eric Bailly was given a red card in Manchester United’s Europa League semi-final win over Celta Vigo, and missed the final.

UEFA has however handed the Ivorian an additional two match ban, which rules him out of the UEFA Super Cup match and United’s first match in this season’s Champions League.

Fellow centre back, Phil Jones was recently handed a two match ban and fine for verbally abusing an anti-doping official after the 2-0 win over Ajax in the final.

The Englishman was angry at been  called for the test which made him miss some part of his team’s celebration and the photo call used to pay tribute to the victims of the Manchester bomb attack.

Daley Blind was also reluctant in taking the doping test after the Europa League final. Both Jones and Blind were fined €5,000, with the Dutchman escaping match ban.

This means Jose Mourinho has Chris Smalling and new signing Victor Lindelof as the only recognised centre backs going into the match against Real Madrid.  

Both teams faced each other during the International Champions Cup pre-season tournament held in America. Manchester United won on penalty.

Both teams square up again on August 8 at the Philip II Arena, Skopje in Macedonia. But this time with a cup at stake.