Welcome to the Champions League debrief, in which Jacob Whitehead takes you through the big talking points — and things you may have missed — from Europe’s premier club competition. This morning, he discusses Manchester United’s meek exit, rising waters around Xavi at Barcelona, and the plight of English clubs in Europe.
Manchester United are no longer European heavyweights
In boxing, size rather than quality dictates your division. The same had applied to Manchester United in Europe, with the club’s stature marking them a blue-riband opponent in the Champions League.
After their 1-0 loss to Bayern Munich on Tuesday evening, it is more clear than ever those days are over. The three-time European champions ended up bottom of Group A, failing to even progress to the Europa League in a group containing Copenhagen and Galatasaray. The four points they earned are their lowest in a Champions League group stage.
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Since reaching three finals in four years from 2008 to 2011, they have won just one Champions League knockout tie — with a debatable last-minute penalty — in the last 10 seasons.
But it is more than just statistics. There was a feeling of nothingness, a predictability to the line-up, performance, and result. Despite Manchester United’s spending — second-place finishers Copenhagen have just one-twentieth of their budget — Bayern arrived with a more talented team, with a better plan, and with more desire.
Manchester United were never truly in the match. Like the Newcastle United fixture a week and a half beforehand, the gulf in quality over the 90 minutes was more than the single goal. In a home Champions League fixture, they recorded an expected goals of just 0.25, demonstrating how few shooting opportunities they created.
The lack of attacking impetus was underscored by Harry Kane’s contribution. A long-term Manchester United target, who could have joined them in the summer of 2021, he made the pivotal intervention in Old Trafford. He has been excellent at his first post-Tottenham season, scoring 22 goals in his first 20 appearances, and added an eighth assist in the 71st minute, flicking Leon Goretzka’s pass to Kingsley Coman with the outside of his boot.
Needing a goal to stay in any sort of European football, the lack of urgency was striking. Manchester United are no longer European heavyweights.
Xavi’s in a Royal bother
Only fourth in La Liga halfway into the season after losing 4-2 to Catalan neighbours Girona at the weekend, this has been a tricky season for Barcelona.
Another historic Champions League giant that is at least stooping, they have made the semi-finals in just one of the past eight seasons.
They were already into the knockout stages before Wednesday evening, but a shock 3-2 defeat to Belgian Champions League debutants Antwerp exposed the problems facing Xavi.
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Before the game, late changes to the squad — including elevating Robert Lewandowski (who had been due to rest) from outside the travelling squad to starter — raised questions over exterior influences on Xavi’s selection from sporting director Deco and Joan Laporta, the club president.
“Tension comes from the outside,” insisted Xavi post-match. “Inside, we don’t have a bad feeling. What happened with the list was a consensus decision. Robert Lewandowski came to us and said he was ready to play. Ilkay Gundogan also told us he was feeling fine. Then we made the call, but it’s not the case that someone was undermined here.”
Hmmmm. Well, after the week he had endured, Xavi needed a fast start. What he ended up getting was like a wet fish to the face — in a game decided by four players who are not legally old enough to drive cars in Spain.
Antwerp, coached by Xavi’s former team-mate Mark van Bommel, came out of the tracks fast. After just 73 seconds, having already pressured 17-year-old debutant Hector Fort into a mistake, Antwerp’s press forced Oriol Romeu into an errant touch. Antwerp’s own teenager, 18-year-old Arthur Vermeeren, smashed home.
Barcelona came back to equalise twice, the second of those from 17-year-old striker Marc Guiu looking as if it had rescued Xavi a point in stoppage time. Not so fast.
Defeating Barcelona can sometimes resemble Alexander the Great untangling the Gordian knot — a mesh of complexity undone by brute force, directness, and a sharp edge. A flick-on found another youth player — 17-year-old George Ilenikhena — who opened up his body to receive both the ball and the rapture.
Since his own teenage emergence at Barcelona, Xavi has always appeared in control — of the ball, of the match, of himself. But football is fragile — and two Antwerp teenagers might have just booted a crack in the glass.
Newcastle’s exit leaves just two English teams in UCL
By 8pm on Wednesday, Arsenal and Manchester City had already progressed through their groups with the sedateness of a sunlit sedan cruise, soft jazz emanating from the stereo, one arm laid over the back of leather passenger seats.
Newcastle, by contrast, resembled the Wright brothers trying to pilot the first plane, all flapping and industry and danger. Like that flight, their fate was in the hands of luck as well as skill.
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Eddie Howe’s injury-hit side were relying on Paris Saint-Germain to drop points in Dortmund, while they needed three points against AC Milan at St James’ Park. Dortmund held up their end of the bargain — holding PSG to a 1-1 draw which left the Parisians vulnerable.
In the first half, Newcastle had 59 per cent of possession and the lion’s share of territory — and were rewarded when Joelinton walloped Lewis Miley’s lay-off into the net like the ball had said unspeakable things about his mother. He strolled off calmly in the mode of a man who had meted restorative justice.
It's an absolute 𝐑𝐎𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐓 🚀
Joelinton sends St James' Park wild as Newcastle take a huge lead 🙌#UCL pic.twitter.com/qNhmUpEcZg
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 13, 2023
But come the second half, that advantage slipped. It was now Milan taking almost 60 per cent of the ball — and though Newcastle have been affected by injuries in recent weeks, they did have Alexander Isak, Sean Longstaff and Dan Burn to bring off the bench.
Christian Pulisic’s equaliser was sloppy from the hosts’ perspective, before Samuel Chukwueze hit a desperate Newcastle team on the break, giving Milan a 2-1 win.
Next year’s expansion to 36 teams will see two teams qualify for the Champions League based on the strength of their domestic leagues — with the two countries whose sides perform best over all three European competitions rewarded with extra places. In theory, five English sides could reach the Champions League next season.
It may remain nothing more than a theory. Having provided four of the six finalists in the last three years, Champions League dominance may be handed to another country. Newcastle and Manchester United’s exits from not just the Champions League, but Europe altogether, harms the Premier League’s coefficient score. At the end of the group stages, Germany (13.36) and Italy (13.14) hold the top two ratings, with England trailing behind in third (12.13).
Manchester United and Newcastle, sitting sixth and seventh in the Premier League, do not look assured of finishing in the top four — but their performances in Europe have harmed their chances of qualifying again as part of a top five. Coefficient points can still be won by the teams remaining in Europe — meaning both sides could be reliant on their domestic rivals who are still in Europe (Arsenal, Manchester City, West Ham United, Brighton & Hove Albion, Liverpool, and Aston Villa) to reach the Champions League.
Spotter’s guide
Goal of the gameweek: As foreshadowed above, this is the final traditional Champions League gameweek — with UEFA replacing the eight groups of four teams with one single league system containing all 36 qualifying sides. With that in mind, it feels fitting to pay tribute to two Champions League stalwarts, potentially appearing in the competition for the final time.
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First up, 37-year-old Sevilla centre-back Sergio Ramos (Champions League appearances: 142, Champions League trophies: four), the highest-scoring defender in the competition’s history. When his side were given the softest of penalties against Lens, Ramos stepped up — and saw his penalty saved by goalkeeper Brice Samba.
But while Father Time waits for no man, he at least pauses for Sergio Ramos, with the VAR intervening after Samba moved off his line early. Ordinary men deal with a reprieve by slipping off into the sunset for a quiet retirement. Not Ramos.
The centre-back scored with a panenka before being yellow-carded for booting Samba in his follow-through. That’s Champions League culture.
😮💨 Scores a Panenka penalty
🤦♂️ Gets booked for kicking the goalkeeperYou 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 know what to expect with Sergio Ramos 😅#UCL pic.twitter.com/aCaiR1YvNu
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 12, 2023
But the better goal came from his former Real Madrid team-mate Angel Di Maria (Champions League appearances: 117, Champions League trophies: one). Now at Benfica, the Argentine winger scored an Olimpico, sending his corner kick directly into the goal to set Benfica on their way to a 3-1 victory against Red Bull Salzburg which ensured they would progress into the Europa League.
Di Maria is a player who is all about curves — arced runs, the arching of his back, a curling shot. It felt the appropriate way for him to say goodbye — for now, but possibly ever — to the competition.
Angel Di Maria has scored from a corner for Benfica… #UCL
📼 @footballontnt pic.twitter.com/ym4gdtPNta
— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) December 12, 2023
Unlikely thriller of the gameweek: Taylor Swift does not need to go through another breakup to write a heartbreak album, she just needs to keep half an eye on Union Berlin’s 2023-24 season.
It has been a cruel autumn for Union. First, the love story between long-time coach Urs Fischer and the club came to an end — the Swiss manager had taken them from the second division to the Champions League. This season was supposed to be their great European adventure — but they have won just one of their last 18 matches in all competitions, with Fischer leaving by mutual consent on November 15.
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But Union showed signs of shaking it off against Real Madrid. Sitting one point above the Bundesliga relegation zone, they may not appear in the Champions League again for the foreseeable future — but took European giants Real Madrid to the wire in the final game.
First, Luka Modric’s penalty was saved by goalkeeper Frederik Ronnow, before Kevin Volland ghosted into a blank space in the Madrid defence to put Union ahead. Joselu restored the expected order of events with two second-half headers, and that seemed that. Union would meekly exit.
But Alex Kral drove home in the 84th minute with the long-range strike of his wildest dreams, and Union were alive, fighting, and the Olympiastadion was bouncing. But Union just do heartbreak this season, and their night ended with a feeling they know all too well.
Dani Ceballos was the anti-hero, popping up with one minute left in normal time to give Real a 3-2 away win, and a perfect record in Group C.
GO DEEPER
Union Berlin, the end of a fairytale and a fanbase defiant to the last
Champions League gameweek six results
Group A
Manchester United 0-1 Bayern Munich
Copenhagen 1-0 Galatasaray
Group B
PSV 1-1 Arsenal
Lens 2-1 Sevilla
Group C
Napoli 2-0 Braga
Union Berlin 2-3 Real Madrid
Group D
Red Bull Salzburg 1-3 Benfica
Inter Milan 0-0 Real Sociedad
Group E
Atletico Madrid 2-0 Lazio
Celtic 2-1 Feyenoord
Group F
Newcastle 1-2 AC Milan
Borussia Dortmund 1-1 PSG
Group G
Red Star Belgrade 2-3 Manchester City
RB Leipzig 2-1 Young Boys
Group H
Royal Antwerp 3-2 Barcelona
Porto 5-3 Shakhtar Donetsk
Last-16 qualifiers: Bayern Munich, Copenhagen, Arsenal, PSV, Real Madrid, Napoli, Real Sociedad, Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid, Lazio, Borussia Dortmund, PSG, Manchester City, RB Leipzig, Barcelona, Porto
Europa League qualifiers: Galatasaray, Lens, Braga, Benfica, Feyenoord, AC Milan, Young Boys, Shakhtar Donetsk
Eliminated: Manchester United, Sevilla, Union Berlin, Red Bull Salzburg, Celtic, Newcastle, Red Star Belgrade, Royal Antwerp
