Manchester United’s slim chance of a Champions League last-16 spot ended with a 1-0 defeat against group-winner Bayern Munich at Old Trafford on Tuesday, piling more misery on Erik ten Hag’s beleaguered team in an already rocky season.
The three-time European champion needed to beat Bayern in its group stage finale on Tuesday and hope Copenhagen’s game against visiting Galatasaray ended in a draw.
Neither happened as Kingsley Coman slotted home from close range in the 70th minute for Bayern, which finished Group A unbeaten with 16 points and had the jubilant away fans singing “Football’s Coming Home” in the dying seconds.
United had just four points, with its fourth-place finish meaning not even a Europa League playoff berth as consolation.
Copenhagen won 1-0 in Denmark to finish with eight points and reach the Champions League knockout round, while Galatasaray took the Europa League playoff spot in third with five points.
United won one only of its six group games, with its hopes of advancing hanging by a thread after it twice gave up a two-goal lead in a 3-3 draw at Galatasaray on November 29.
Bayern, which beat United 4-3 in its previous meeting in Munich, had already secured top spot in the group.
Coman scored with ease when he drifted into space in United’s penalty area and no United defender picked him up, leaving Harry Kane to find the Frenchman with a flicked pass that the Bayern winger fired past goalkeeper Andre Onana.
“It was nice,” Kane told TNT Sports. “I felt like we controlled the game and had the better chances. We were calm and we knew in the quick transitions we could hurt them. It is always tough when you are top and through already but we had a good motivation. It was nice to get the win today. We have enough ability to go far in this competition. That is the ambition, to go and win the Champions League.”
United’s 15 goals conceded were the most by any English team in this year’s group stage.
It was the club’s sixth time of going out at the group stage and first since 2020-21 plus only the second time it has finished bottom in its group after the 2005-06 campaign.
Ten Hag’s struggling team has 12 defeats in 24 games in all competitions this season, losing 3-0 to lowly Bournemouth on Saturday to sit sixth in the Premier League.
United had numerous chances, including a couple from Bruno Fernandes early in the second half. The United captain launched one well over the bar from the edge of the box and the second just wide of the post.
United also lost central defender Harry Maguire to a groin injury in the 40th minute.
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