Carrick celebrates United's Champions League return but flags Thursday kickoff

Former midfielder Michael Carring, now Manchester United manager, welcomed the team's re-entry into the Champions League, recalling the trophy win in 2008 and describing the tournament as magical. He stressed that the club belongs among Europe's elite and is eager to compete, but admitted the Thursday night opener versus Sabah of Azerbaijan is not ideal given the schedule. United's squad will be without Carlos Baleba, Amad Diallo, Matthijs de Ligt and Manuel Ugarte for the match, while left-back Luke Shaw sat out training to recover.

Carrick also noted the upcoming league derby with Manchester City gives United extra preparation time after a recent game against Porto. Despite the logistical challenges, he said the club will focus on making the most of the opportunity.