The Champions League proved too robust for Manchester United and Sevilla. Now, even the comfort Europa League spot is out of attain.
Both groups have been eradicated from European competitors Tuesday night time to complete backside of their teams.
Three-time Champions League winner United wanted to beat Bayern Munich at house and hope for a positive outcome within the different Group A recreation however misplaced 1-0 to the six-time winner.
Instead, unheralded Danish facet Copenhagen certified in second place after beating Turkish workforce Galatasaray 1-0 at house. Galatasaray completed third to qualify for the Europa League knockout spherical playoff above last-place United — which sustained 4-3 losses at Bayern and Copenhagen and conceded 15 targets in six video games. It is barely the fourth time a Premier League workforce has completed backside of its Champions League group.
Earlier on, defending Europa League champion Sevilla — which has received the Europa League seven instances — misplaced 2-1 at Lens to complete backside of Group B because the French workforce completed third.
Fans began leaving 10 minutes earlier than the top at Old Trafford and others booed United’s gamers on the closing whistle to heap the stress on supervisor Erik Ten Hag.
After winger Kingsley Coman neatly scored Bayern’s objective within the 71st minute, the away followers goaded United’s supporters with a rendition of “Football’s Coming Home” — a well-liked English soccer chant coined on the 1996 European Championship, the place England misplaced to Germany within the semifinals — adopted by “Auf Wiedersehen!” (So Long!).
Ten Hag noticed burly central defender Harry Maguire limping off close to the top of the primary half after showing to injure his groin. United was punished when striker Harry Kane arrange Coman as Bayern lower by a static protection with ease.
Over in Denmark, midfielder Lukas Lerager scored for Copenhagen within the 58th. Coach Jacob Neestrup sprinted onto the sector to have a good time together with his jubilant gamers on the finish.
Italian champion Napoli superior to the final 16 after beating Portuguese facet Braga 2-0 at house to complete second in Group C, which had already been received by Real Madrid.
African participant of the yr Victor Osimhen, who final season helped Napoli to its first Italian league title in 33 years, acquired Napoli’s second objective to proceed his return to kind.
There was a uncommon soccer sight when veteran Croatia midfielder Luka Modric — the 2018 males’s Ballon d’Or winner — missed a penalty as Madrid fell behind however received 3-2 at Union Berlin. Forward Joselu scored twice as document 14-time champion Madrid completed with an ideal document. Braga completed third to succeed in the Europa League playoff.
Last yr’s Champions League runner-up Inter Milan and Spanish membership Real Sociedad had already certified from Group D and drew 0-0 in Italy, that means Sociedad topped the group on objective distinction.
Arthur Cabral’s backheel objective in stoppage time gave Benfica a 3-1 win at Austrian facet Salzburg within the different recreation to safe a spot within the Europa League playoffs.
In the opposite early match, striker Eddie Nketiah scored his first Champions League objective as Group B winner Arsenal drew 1-1 at second-place PSV Eindhoven in a match between certified groups.
Group winners are seeded within the last-16 draw on Dec. 18 and keep away from one another. Teams additionally can’t be drawn towards an opponent from their very own nation. The Europa League draw is held the identical day.
Source web site: www.hindustantimes.com
