Manchester United vs. Wolfsburg: Louis van Gaal Reveals UCL Aim, More in Presser

Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal revealed his ultimate aim is to reach the Champions League final with the Red Devils when he addressed the media in his press conference on Tuesday ahead of their clash with Wolfsburg on Wednesday.  

According to Hamish Mackay of the Daily Mirror, when asked if United could win the tournament before his current contract expires at the end of next season, he said: "I hope so. It is realistic. Reaching the final is an aim. Winning the final is a little bit of luck."

He added: "We still have to improve to win the Premier League or Champions League." 

The 64-year-old was also questioned on the possibility of his extending his deal with the club beyond the 2016-17 season. Per B/R's Chris Winterburn, he did not rule it out, but he admitted it was unlikely to happen for personal reasons:

After losing their opening game in Group B, United's match with Wolfsburg takes on added significance. Van Gaal noted the Red Devils must claim all three points on Wednesday, especially with the game taking place at Old Trafford:

According to Mackay, the Dutchman refused to name his starting XI, but as Winterburn reports, he did give updates on who is likely to miss out on the match:

Sitting next to summer signing Bastian Schweinsteiger, Van Gaal was full of praise for the German's impact on the dressing room, having worked with him at Bayern Munich. Per Winterburn, he said:

Seemingly in a positive mood, Van Gaal also reserved some kind words for Wolfsburg counterpart Dieter Hecking, though naturally, the goodwill did not extend to Wednesday's showdown:

The battle between the pair promises to be a fascinating watch.

Their 5-1 thrashing by Robert Lewandowski aside, Wolfsburg have enjoyed a fairly strong start to the season and currently reside in fourth spot in the Bundesliga, while the Red Devils have scored three goals apiece in each of their last three Premier League outings.

Van Gaal is correct in his frank assessment of his side, though—much improvement needs to be made to have a chance of winning the competition.

Reaching the final in the next two seasons is also an incredible ask for his squad, but with things slowly but surely coming together, and if they can get some favourable ties in the knockout rounds, it's not inconceivable. 

First things first, though, United need to beat Wolfsburg or they'll find their chances of even reaching the next round under serious threat.