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Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has his sights on reaching the quarterfinals of the Europa League, when he says his players will be able to "smell the final." United travel to Russia to take on FC Rostov in the first leg of their round-of-16 tie on Thursday, with the club looking to add to their recent EFL Cup final success. "The Europa League is very difficult but it's a target for us and if we beat Rostov and we find ourselves in the quarterfinal, then we have to think really seriously about the Europa League," Mourinho said in The Guardian. "The last 16 we are still far but when a team gets in the last eight you go to the quarterfinal draw. "Quarterfinal, you smell the final and then in a certain period of the season I have to analyse my team, the players, the conditions of everyone and if I have to make choices, I have to make choices, but choices that I would always share with my owners [about priorities], with my board but it's not for now. "For now it's just play -- play against Rostov, play against Chelsea [in the FA Cup quarterfinal on Monday], play against Rostov again and then let's see how we are in all the competitions, and try to make the right decisions." United are currently sixth in the Premier League table, and while Mourinho says that catching leaders Chelsea, who are 10 points clear of second-placed Tottenham, is not feasible, he does have his sights on a runners-up berth. "To finish second is better than to finish third, and to finish third is better than fourth and fourth is obviously better than not being in top four and not going to the Champions League," Mourinho said. "The second position is very difficult but it's very possible. First is impossible. Second is possible and we have to fight for it."
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