Champions League: The knives are out after Manchester United's shock exit

The Red Devils are out of this year's Champions League after a 1-0 home defeat to Atletico Madrid saw them beaten 2-1 on aggregate.

Image Credit: Getty Images

It was a night of horror for fans of Manchester United. The Red Devils are out of this year's Champions League after a 1-0 home defeat to Atletico Madrid saw them beaten 2-1 on aggregate. Already out of FA Cup, this defeat means that United have consigned to a fifth straight season without a trophy, and for the first time since 2005, Cristiano Ronaldo ends a campaign without silverware at club level.

Atletico's left-back Renan Lodi's first-half header was enough to take Diego Simeone's side into the quarter-finals as Ralf Rangnick's side suffered a frustrating evening at Old Trafford.

The defeat also witnessed another personal low for United's iconic Portuguese striker as he did not have a single shot in the match, which is only the third time he has failed to do so in Champions League clashes. Given that Ronaldo scored a hat-trick against Tottenham at the weekend in his home ground, it's a damning moment for the legendary footballer.

Following this crushing Champions League elimination, former Manchester United legends Paul Scholes and Rio Ferdinand ripped into the Red Devils for their dismal show. Speaking after Man United's European exit, Scholes ruthlessly pointed fingers at the appointment of Rangnick. 

"How he (Rangnick) was chosen to be the manager for this club for six months... I don't know. The very first thing this club needs to do to get anywhere near winning the league again is getting in a proper coach who works for this team," the Englishman said.

Scholes also named the two managers who he believes United should have appointed when they opted to sack Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Ralf Rangnick was drafted in as interim boss when the Norwegian was booted out following a humiliating defeat to relegation-threatened Watford. 

Although Mauricio Pochettino and Erik Ten Hag are thought to be the two frontrunners to be appointed in the summer, Scholes believes the Red Devils should have pushed to appoint either Antonio Conte or Thomas Tuchel. "I would have gone for Conte or Tuchel. It looks like one might be available at the end of the season. Those are two top-class coaches that strike fear into players and win, which is the most important thing," Scholes told BT Sport.

"United, with either one of those managers, would be much better off. I think they're an elite coach away from challenging for trophies again. They've got a good squad with some top players, but for the last three or four years, they've not had an elite coach," the 47-year-old football pundit added.

Meanwhile, another Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand slammed the club, stating that the Red Devils need a revamp from the top down and made a bold Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland claim. "If you bring in Mbappé and Haaland this summer, United aren't winning the league. It doesn't matter who they bring in. It (revamp) needs to be from the top down," the 43-year-old said.

Owen Hargreaves also shared his thoughts on Man United's dire situation, saying the club needs to look at bringing on board more 'football people', citing the likes of Scholes and Gary Neville.

Following the defeat, United's interim boss Ralf Rangnick said, "I think we played a good first half. All those things we planned to do we did. The only thing we did not do was convert that energy into scoring the first goal ourselves. One thing we cannot do against Atletico is concede the first goal."

The German was also frustrated that match officials failed to award the foul on Elanga in the build-up to Atletico's goal. "I did not think we should have been 1-0 down," he said. "For me, that was a foul on Elanga. That was the only really dangerous moment, apart from the offside goal that they scored," Rangnick added on BT Sport.

Meanwhile, United's star goalkeeper David De Gea said the team was disappointed with the result against his former club. "It's difficult to describe in words how we feel in this moment, but we did not do enough in both games. They [Atletico] know how to play those games tight games. They scored the goal, and then it was very difficult for us to create chances. We are out of one of the most important competitions, so we are really sad," the Spaniard told BT Sport.

"Too many years without a trophy, without really fighting for trophies," said De Gea afterwards. "We need to be clear. We want to be fighting for trophies, not fighting for the top four, and going out before the quarter-finals. This club is too big for where we are now," he concluded.

Securing Champions League qualification will be the focus now for Manchester United, but this was a night to remind everyone that merely qualifying is not enough for this club. Rangnick cannot stay, but Mauricio Pochettino and Erik ten Hag, seen as the two strongest candidates for the job, have both been eliminated out of the Champions League already too.

For De Gea, the exasperation was clear. "We all want the best for this club, especially myself," he added. "I have been here many years. I love this club. I really believe I don't know when that this club will be back at the top." But the wait goes on.