Tuesday’s 1-0 loss to group-winner Bayern Munich at Old Trafford destroyed Manchester United’s modest hopes of qualifying for the Champions League round of sixteen, adding further suffering to Erik ten Hag’s struggling squad in an already difficult season.
In order to advance over Bayern in its group stage match on Tuesday, the three-time European champion needed to hope that Copenhagen’s match against Galatasaray, which was visiting, concluded in a draw.
Neither occurred as Bayern, who finished Group A undefeated with 16 points thanks to a close-range goal from Kingsley Coman in the 70th minute, had the triumphant away fans singing “Football’s Coming Home” in the final seconds.
United finished in fourth place, meaning there was no playoff berth in the Europa League for its meager four points.
With a 1-0 victory over Denmark, Copenhagen finished with eight points and advanced to the Champions League knockout stage. Galatasaray secured the third-place Europa League playoff spot with five points.
United only emerged victorious from its six group matches; its chances of progressing were all but gone when it twice surrendered a two-goal lead in a 3-3 draw against Galatasaray on November 29.
Bayern had already clinched first place in the group after defeating United 4-3 in their first match in Munich.
Coman scored easily when he moved into the penalty area for United and was not picked up by a United defender. Harry Kane then found the Frenchman with a flicked pass, which the Bayern winger then shot past goalkeeper Andre Onana.
“It was nice,” Kane told TNT Sports. “I felt like we controlled the game and had the better chances. We were calm and we knew in the quick transitions we could hurt them. It is always tough when you are top and through already but we had a good motivation. It was nice to get the win today. We have enough ability to go far in this competition. That is the ambition, to go and win the Champions League.”
With 15 goals allowed in the group stage this year, United gave up more goals than any other English team.
This was the club’s sixth elimination from the group stage and its first since 2020–21. It was also only its second group elimination, having occurred in the 2005–06 season.
Ten Hag’s underperforming club, currently sixth in the Premier League, lost 3-0 to lowly Bournemouth on Saturday, giving them 12 losses in 24 games across all competitions this season.
Bruno Fernandes had two chances for United early in the second half, among many more. The skipper of United fired one from the edge of the box way over the bar and the other just wide of the post.
Harry Maguire, a center defender for United, also went down in the 40th minute due to a groin injury.
