Manchester United’s comeback to the Champions League was regarded as the positive start to manager Louis van Gaal’s first season at Old Trafford.
After the terrible decision to appoint David Moyes as successor to Sir Alex Ferguson, the former Netherlands coach brought a measure of stability, albeit without silverware, and a place in the Premier League’s top four.
It has proved an inglorious, embarrassing return to Europe’s elite tournament; United not even stuttering out of the group stage after defeat by Wolfsburg in Germany on Tuesday.
It will come as a huge surprise to United’s hierarchy, as well as Van Gaal, that they will have their noses pressed up against the Champions League window when it resumes in 2016.
The feeling inside Old Trafford was qualification would have been assured before they even reached the industrial heartland of Wolfsburg for the finale. This was a unachievable hope.
United’s elimination came after a attacking showing against Wolfsburg but a colourless performance in the home game against PSV Eindhoven left them with a hurdle that was too high to conquer.
That poor show was more representative of United than any of the small positives that can be taken away from their final, decisive game.
This was not a testing group for a team of United’s financial and footballing stature – and Van Gaal cannot realistically be taken seriously if he tells any hard luck stories.
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