UCL: Young Boys v Manchester United preview

Young Boys v Manchester United preview

Manchester United will be without captain Antonio Valencia as they kick off their Champions League campaign away at Young Boys on Wednesday.

 Manager Jose Mourinho confirmed the right-back will not be involved due to concerns over how he would react to the artificial surface at the Stade de Suisse.

"We decide not to bring Antonio Valencia because his knee is not a knee that needs an artificial pitch," Mourinho said at his pre-match press conference.

Left-back Luke Shaw is in contention to start, though, after recovering from the concussion he suffered playing for England against Spain.

"He [Shaw] has a chance to play, of course he has," Mourinho added. "Valencia is the only one we need to protect. Apart from that, we go with everything we can, and we have to try to win."

Manchester United have lost on their last two trips to Switzerland in the Champions League, both to FC Basel in December 2011 and November 2017.

Mourinho does not want to use the surface in Berne as a possible excuse for failing to win the game, and he paid homage to Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer's continued success on different surfaces.

"I don't want to use that, especially before the match, as a possible excuse for a not good performance," the Portuguese added.

"I can get as an example since we are in Switzerland, the home of one of the best ever tennis players - I'm pretty sure that the big man sometimes is not happy to play on such a surface but he has to play and he has to win.

"Everybody knows he has a favourite surface, but he has also to win on other surfaces that he is not in love with. So we have to do it."

Marcus Rashford has been added to United's Champions League squad and is expected to feature.

The England international is currently serving a three-game domestic suspension after being sent off in the 2-0 victory at Burnley earlier this month.

Summer signing Diogo Dalot has travelled with United's squad. The 19-year-old is yet to make a first-team appearance for the club since arriving from Porto in June.

Jesse Lingard, Phil Jones (hamstring) and Marcos Rojo have not travelled, along with Valencia.

Young Boys expect to be without midfielders Jordan Lotomba (knee) and Sandro Lauper (ankle).

Former Serbia winger Miralem Sulejmani could make his first start since suffering concussion on his return as a substitute in last week's cup victory over FC Schaffhausen.