Manchester United’s European campaign is over after Kingsley Coman fired already-qualified Bayern Munich to a victory that meant Erik ten Hag’s men finished bottom of their Champions League group.
A wild, error-strewn continental group stage left the Red Devils’ last-16 hopes hanging by a thread, with progress only possible if they beat the German champions at Old Trafford and Copenhagen and Galatasaray drew.
But the Danes’ victory and Coman’s finish from a smart Harry Kane pass in a 1-0 Bayern win saw toothless United’s hopes of a Champions League miracle go up in smoke as the curtain came down on Group A.
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) December 12, 2023
The loss also meant Ten Hag’s side missed out on the consolation prize of Europa League qualification, with this just the fourth time a Premier League side has finished bottom of their Champions League group.
United had restricted Thomas Tuchel’s men to half-chances during the opening period at Old Trafford, where the hosts’ injury list increased as Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw picked up issues just before the break.
The reshuffled backline looked far more solid than during Saturday’s 3-0 humiliation at home to Bournemouth but still could not stop Bayern from running out victorious.
Coman was a livewire throughout his time on the pitch and Kane, a long-term United target, brilliantly played him in to beat Andre Onana as the hosts bowed out of Europe before Christmas.
United mustered just one shot on target in a must-win match that is followed by Sunday’s Premier League trip to rivals Liverpool. There were boos at the final whistle once again.
United went out with a whimper and the Bayern fans reminded the hosts of their problems before and after the match.
Onana saved an under-hit Kane attempt and the marauding Noussair Mazraoui failed to find an unmarked Leroy Sane with a cross, before Alphonso Davies and Joshua Kimmich had attempts.
Bayern saw penalty appeals ignored after Jamal Musiala went down having been blocked off by Maguire, with Manuel Neuer finally called into action in the 23rd minute.
Shaw’s 25-yard stinger forced him to punch over for a corner that ended with Bayern players surrounding Alejandro Garnacho, angrily claiming he threw Coman into the advertising hoardings.
Sane exchanged passes with Musiala but instead of shooting, failed in cutting back to the 20-year-old. The former Manchester City winger then could not cleanly meet a tantalising Coman cross.
Maguire pulled up holding his groin in the 40th minute and left to a standing ovation, with Jonny Evans replacing the reigning Premier League player of the month.
United saw out the rest of the half and made another enforced alteration at the break as Shaw made way for Aaron Wan-Bissaka due to an apparent hamstring injury.
The right-back nearly made an immediate impact, cutting back to the edge of the box only for Fernandes’ first-time shot to fly over.
Kim Min-jae cut out a threatening cross and Fernandes flashed across the face of goal before Bayern slowed the tempo and took control.
Their reward came in the 70th minute as Coman kept the ball alive and burst behind, collecting a smart first-time flick from Kane and going on to slam past Onana.
United became the first Premier League side to concede 15 or more goals in a Champions League group stage.
Ten Hag rung the changes, but Bayern were barely threatened. Leon Goretzka and Kim saw efforts blocked before a Kane header whistled wide, with the Stretford End’s chants of “attack, attack, attack” falling on deaf ears.
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