Manchester United built their reputation on great European nights but on their eagerly-awaited Champions League comeback, the Theatre of Dreams has become the Theatre of Nightmares.
The Red Devils were hoping to return to European football’s top table with a bang after years of underachievement, but instead crashed out of the competition on Tuesday after a lacklustre defeat to Bayern Munich.
Despite being handed a favourable group and spending more than £165 million ($207m) on new signings, United have ended up finishing bottom of the pile with a miserable four points, their worst ever total in the Champions League.
They have been so bad, finishing behind Copenhagen and Galatasaray, that they are not even worthy of a place in the Europa League. The elimination will cost them a lot of money, but above all it severely damages their status as one of the biggest clubs in Europe…
Bottom of a straightforward group
United only have themselves to blame for their early exit as they could not have asked for a better draw. Bayern may be six-time winners and one of the favourites to win the competition each season but Galatasaray and Copenhagen should have been ideal opponents.
This was only Copenhagen’s fourth appearance in the group stage in the last 10 years and they had only previously qualified for the knockouts once before. Galatasaray, meanwhile, had not made the last 16 for a decade and before they stunned Old Trafford in October they had not won a group stage match since 2018.
Being pitted against Bayern might not have sounded ideal, but having an elite team in your group is actually a blessing as they are likely to take maximum points off the other contenders for second place. Bayern took six points off Galatasaray and four off Copenhagen – holding up their side of the bargain.
Everything was set up for United to secure the runners-up spot comfortably, but instead they have finished bottom for the first time since 2005-06, posting their worst points total ever in the process.
Losing their heads at key moments
What is particularly frustrating is that United have actually played well for large chunks of the campaign only to repeatedly lose their nerve at the most crucial moments. They have thrown away leads in three of their five matches and squandered two-goal advantages away to Galatasaray and Copenhagen.
Marcus Rashford got himself sent off in the 42nd minute in Copenhagen when the team were two goals to the good but United still should have made it to half time without conceding. Instead, they let in two goals in added time. After miraculously restoring their lead at the Parken Stadium they then shipped two goals in the space of four minutes, turning a 3-2 win into a catastrophic 4-3 loss.
And after facing down the infamously-hellish atmosphere away to Galatasaray to lead 2-0 and then 3-1, they failed to kill the game and instead went looking for another goal when all they had to do was see out their advantage.
Onana’s museum of gaffes
Many players have contributed to United’s untimely exit but the chief architect has undoubtedly been Andre Onana. The Cameroonian has made enough howlers to constitute a museum exhibition.
His gaffes have directly led to three goals – one away to Bayern and two at Galatasaray – while you could ask questions about a further five he has conceded. He has cost United at least three points and has had a debilitating effect on the team in general.
Goalkeepers are supposed to radiate confidence and tranquility, but Onana has transmitted fear and dread. His dire displays have been all the more astonishing given he was one of the stars of Inter’s run to last season’s Champions League final.
He was supposed to transform United’s style of play but he has been a total disaster of a signing, costing the club £47m ($59m) in his transfer fee and a further £45m ($56m) in loss of earnings.
A diabolical defence
Footballers and coaches always say that errors are punished more dearly in the Champions League than in domestic competitions – and United have given their opponents far too many opportunities to put that old saying to the test.
They let in 15 goals in their six games, giving them the joint-worst defensive record alongside Royal Antwerp, who were making their first appearance in Europe’s top competition since the 1950s.
Individual and team errors have been rife. Raphael Varane and Diogo Dalot defended terribly against Wilfried Zaha for Galatasaray’s first goal at Old Trafford while a Sofyan Amrabat slip let the Turkish side counter and strike again.
Casemiro and Onana then conspired to give away a penalty and after Icardi missed it, more woeful defending from Varane and Victor Lindelof allowed the Argentine another bite at the cherry, which he did not waste.
Eight players defending a corner in the box away to Copenhagen was not enough to stop Lukas Lerarger’s header and a Varane giveaway moments later invited the Danes to attack again, with Roony Bardghji delivering the fatal blow.
Even the ever-reliable Aaron Wan-Bissaka could not be counted upon: he played Kingsley Coman onside for Bayern’s decisive goal on Tuesday.
Only Hojlund has stepped up
Rasmus Hojlund was almost anonymous against Bayern but he bows out after a very impressive debut Champions League campaign. He is currently the competition’s joint-top scorer alongside Erling Haaland and Alvaro Morata, meaning he is one of very few United players who can look back on this farce with any sense of pride.
Rashford failed to score and greatly harmed the team’s chances when he was sent off in Copenhagen, while he was unable to play against Bayern on Tuesday with illness.
Bruno Fernandes scored one great goal against Galatasaray, a penalty in Copenhagen and notched two assists but fell well short of the types of performances he is capable of and failed to galvanise his team-mates. Antony exits the competition without a goal or an assist while Mason Mount played a grand total of 91 minutes.
Casemiro, a five-time Champions League winner, was abject in his two appearances, while his former Real Madrid team-mate Varane also had a miserable existence in the competition he used to relish.
The pitiful displays of these highly-paid, underperforming players are indicative of United’s struggles as a whole. And the plain truth of the matter is that following their latest embarrassment, they’re kidding themselves if they still consider themselves a top club.
