Manchester United are out of the Champions League after a miserable 1-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid at Old Trafford.
The tie was beautifully poised after a 1-1 draw in the first leg, and United’s aggressive start to the second leg was almost rewarded when Anthony Elanga’s close-range shot was somehow kept out by the head of Jan Oblak.
United had a lot of the ball without really troubling Oblak after that, and Atletico became more confident on the break as the first half progressed. Joao Felix had a goal disallowed for offside and then Renan Lodi headed Atletico into the lead after an excellent move.
The United players thought the goal should have been disallowed for a foul on Elanga, and their frustration grew during a niggly, stop-start second half.
Ralf Rangnick made multiple changes, including the surprise substitution of Bruno Fernandes. But United became too desperate, too early and were unable to generate any momentum. Oblak made one fine save from a Raphael Varane header but was otherwise untested.
Atletico gave a masterful demonstration of unashamedly cynical game management. They were aided by a weak refereeing performance, but that could not obscure an unpalatable truth: United were outsmarted by a team that is nowhere near Europe’s elite.
Ralf Rangnick's verdict
“We played a very good first half, exactly the way we wanted to play. High energy level, most of the game in their half. But unfortunately we couldn’t convert that energy into one or two goals, and then we conceded on the counter-attack just before half-time. That didn’t make life any easier.
“The second half was difficult – it was always interrupted, somebody lying on the floor. There were some curious refereeing decisions. I wouldn’t say they were decisive but he fell for their time wasting antics too often, and four minutes of added time was just a joke.
“It was difficult to find a rhythm. We had one or two moments from set-pieces but we were fully aware that against this team it’s important to score the first goal yourself.
“For me there was a foul on Anthony Elanga before the goal, but the referee and linesman didn’t see it that way. Apart from that and the offside goal we defended well. We were compact and energetic. There is nothing that I can blame the team for in the first half.
“We will try to end the season on a high and if possible qualify for the Champions League. We know we need to win most of the remaining nine games. It’s too early to think about how we can close the gap on the top teams. My focus is on finishing as high as possible this season, and then there is time to talk about other things.”
David de Gea's verdict
“It’s difficult to describe how we feel. We didn’t do enough in both games to win the tie. We are really, really sad.
“They are a team with a lot of experience. They are a defensive team, so as soon as they scored they put everybody back. We tried until the end but it wasn’t enough.
“I don’t want to say anything about the referee. Everyone saw it. This is football - we can’t change what happened.
“It’s not good enough [to go five years without winning a trophy]. We need to keep fighting. But to be honest it’s a tough moment. I feel sad for the fans, for everyone. But we are not good enough.”
Manchester United’s miserable season is complete. They are out of the Champions League after a 1-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid, who did a job on them at Old Trafford.
United started well but lost their way after Renan Lodi headed Atletico into the lead just before half-time.
Diego Simeone charges straight down the tunnel, ignoring abuse and avoiding bottles. His team frustrated United throughout the game, but especially during a niggly, stop-start second half.
The referee was atrocious but United can have few complaints - they became far too desperate, far too early, and never really looked like equalising.
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