“Oh, I have five (titles), right?” – Casemiro admits he will be ‘sad’ if Manchester United don’t play in Champions League

Manchester United acquired a player with vast UEFA Champions League experience when they signed Casemiro from Real Madrid in a deal worth €60 million + €10 million in add-ons this summer.

Despite having won the competition five times - most recently last season - the Brazilian has said that he would want the Red Devils to compete in Europe's elite tournament.

"Oh, I have five (titles), right? But it's not because I have five that I don't want Manchester to win!" Casemiro was quoted as saying by 90 Min. "The Champions League is the most important championship, everyone wants to win."

Casemiro opened up about how he has been welcomed to the club since leaving Real Madrid for Old Trafford this summer as he reiterated his desire to return United to the Champions League.

"I want to learn, United have always been very affectionate, from the first day they made me feel comfortable," Casemiro continued. "The coach was very attentive and charismatic from day one. "They always showed interest. This is very important. The Champions League, of course, I want to win, if we don't play, I'll be sad. I want to be there, even for the greatness of the club. But that happens with work and dedication.

The Brazilian said about playing in the Premier League:

"But the club has always shown a lot of affection, as well as Real. The feeling of being in a big club and being able to play in a big league like the Premier League is very good and very important in that aspect," he added.

What's next for Casemiro and Manchester United?

Casemiro was presented as Manchester United's new signing just before their clash with Liverpool on Monday. However, he didn't feature in the game, as his registration was not completed in time.

He could make his debut when Manchester United travel to Southampton on Saturday (August 27) for their fourth Premier League game of the seaso. It remains to be seen if new manager Erik ten Hag deploys the Brazilian from the start or introduces him later.

Having won just one of their three league games so far this term, Ten Hag knows he doesn't have much space for experimentation. That means the tactician could opt for the same lineup that beat Liverpool last weekend, with Casemiro to start on the bench.