Man Utd boss Erik Ten Hag insisted his side were “very good” and that he had no regrets over their Champions League campaign despite exiting the tournament with a whimper against Bayern Munich on Tuesday.
Needing a win to have any chance of progressing to the last 16, United managed only one shot on target all night, and that came from Luke Shaw’s hopeful long-range effort midway through the first half.
Instead, Bayern – who were playing only for pride after previously sealing top spot in Group A – emerged victorious through Kingsley Coman’s 70th-minute winner. They enjoyed 10 shots, double that of their hosts, 17 opposition-box touches to United’s 10, and saw almost 60 per cent of the ball across the 90 minutes.
In the end, Man Utd’s Champions League hopes would have been dashed anyway owing to FC Copenhagen’s win over Galatasaray, but defeat left them rock bottom of their group after just one win from their six games, behind teams ranked 42nd and 54th in UEFA’s club coefficient list.
Ten Hag admitted United’s Champions League campaign was “not good enough” but batted away suggestions he may have regrets over the ignominious way it had unfolded. He instead praised his players’ performance and talked up the quality of their opponents – despite their own 5-1 defeat at Frankfurt in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
He told TNT Sports: “The team did very good, we were very good defensively and in the pressing. We had many ball regains, especially second half. But then we didn’t take enough benefit from it – we were playing against a strong side.
“Bayern always, even when they are not in the game, have enough individual class to produce one moment – and that’s what happened.
“We know we want to be more consistent. Me as a manager, I have to improve the team, help the team progress, guide them, and the players have to take responsibility. We have to do that together.
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Tim Sherwood suggests Andre Onana should’ve been quicker off his line to try to prevent Bayern Munich from taking the lead
“The players gave everything, we saw the spirit. I have to pay a big compliment for the way they worked together as a team against a good Bayern side.
“You need energy when the game is going, and especially in forward positions the options [on the bench] were limited.
“I don’t look with regret [at the campaign]. We want to be in the Champions League, the target was always to qualify for the knock-outs, but we have to learn from it, and accept we played some good football.
“Rasmus Hojlund scored five times, we had some very good performances, and we have to take that into the Premier League.
“We want to be back in the Champions League again and so we have to qualify again.”
Kingsley Coman’s second-half goal sealed Manchester United’s Champions League fate
Analysis: Man Utd out of Europe – but their misery goes on
Manchester United are out of Europe, beaten by Bayern Munich for the second time this season. It was the defeats to Copenhagen and Galatasaray that left them with too much to do. Not just eliminated from the Champions League but bottom of the group.
From the tragedy to the triumph, European nights are part of what makes this club special. The statues of Sir Bobby Charlton, George Best and Denis Law celebrate the 1968 success. The visit of Bayern Munich brings to mind that most magical of moments in 1999.
Jose Mourinho downplayed that ‘football heritage’ by highlighting their more recent record but he still managed to negotiate the Champions League group stage in each of his two attempts. Even that modest ambition proved beyond Erik ten Hag’s team.
The draw was kind. Bayern’s pedigree is obvious but Copenhagen and Galatasaray offered a clear path to the next stage. Instead, United depart having not only been beaten by all three opponents but with no team in the competition having conceded more goals.
This should not be possible, the Champions League is structured to prevent such a failure for the game’s richest clubs. The wealthiest three sides in Spain and Germany had progressed with a game to spare with Inter, Arsenal and Manchester City joining them too.
This was no nightmare of a group, not the gauntlet that Newcastle had to run. And yet, Manchester United contrived to find demons where there were none. Their only victory in six attempts needed a stoppage-time penalty save from Andre Onana.
Read Adam Bate’s full feature on Man Utd’s dismal exit from Europe here.