Manchester United return to the Champions League – with Jose Mourinho admitting they are no longer part of Europe's elite.

United face Basel at Old Trafford, 644 days after they were last involved in the Champions League, although Mourinho played down their chances of lifting the trophy.

“In the Champions League there are four or five teams with an incredible level of quality, of experience and know-how - that’s what makes the difference,” said Mourinho.

“But we have to try to qualify, to go to last 16 and enjoy that special knockout phase with the best teams in Europe.

“Low expectations is thinking we cannot win [against Basel] and we think we can.

The Red Devils face Basel at Old Trafford (
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PA)
Lukaku and Pogba will be making their first appearances in the Champions League for Man United (
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AFP)
Lingard and Fellaini share a joke (
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PA)
Rashford will be hoping to be involved (
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Action Images via Reuters)

"We're strong, we're playing well, we have confidence in ourselves and we think we have enough quality to win.

“The opposition has same ambition as us and can perfectly come here like they did in the past and give Manchester United a bad taste.

“We go to this match thinking we can win, go to the second match in Moscow thinking can win and go to the third match in Lisbon thinking can win.

“We consider we can win every match and that's what we're going to try to do, but to say at this moment we're candidates of this and that?

Mourinho holds conference with his coaching staff (
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PA)
Fellaini and Young limber up (
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Action Images via Reuters)
Lukaku and Pogba arrive at training (
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Action Images via Reuters)

"We're just candidates to win this match.”

Mourinho also admitted English teams are at a disadvantage because of the relentless nature of the Premier League campaign and lack of a winter break in line with the rest of Europe.

“We're speaking about this for a long, long time and there is nothing to do,” said Mourinho.

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“It’s a waste of time to be speaking about what we can do because we can't do anything. It's as simple as that.

“We have to face what we have. We have to admit there are differences in relation to other countries, that's obvious, but there's nothing to do.

Mourinho is relishing United's return to the Champions League (
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AFP)
De Gea and Pereira head out (
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Action Images via Reuters)

“The only thing I can say is that Real Madrid last season played the last month in La Liga with the second team.

"They could do it and they arrived in the Champions League final with a fresh team.

“Juventus, because they were champions in Italy three months in advance, they could play the last month with the second team and arrive fresh for the quarters, semi-final and final.

“For English teams, normally that’s impossible, because normally the competition goes very strong until the end. Also, there's no winter break.

“In other countries there’s a winter break but that’s cultural. It means a lot and I have to admit I love it. I know that goes against us, but I have to admit I love the Christmas period of football.

“Then there's the fact we have to play many times just two days before the big matches in Europe, while other counties protect their clubs.”

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