Man Utd 0 Atletico Madrid 1 (agg 1-2): United OUT of Champions League as struggling giants near record trophy drought

MANCHESTER UNITED’S champions League dreams were left in tatters on a heart breaking night at Old Trafford.

Ralf Rangnick’s men failed to take advantage of a blistering first-half display which incredibly ended with Atletico Madrid ahead through Renan Lodi.

That 41^st minute strike proved the difference in the end as Atletico held out on a night when their goalkeeper Jan Oblak was in inspired form.

Rangnick had called on the United faithful on the eve of the game and in the programme to make it a special atmosphere inside Old Trafford for the game.

They certainly did that, and needed to be in full voice to drown out the travelling Atleti fans who had enjoyed a good afternoon in the centre of Manchester before marching down to the stadium.

What a first half both sets got and United were left scratching their heads as to how they didn’t end it with a foot in the quarter-finals.

.css-16e4f55{margin:16px 0;}.css-1546w7m{background-color:rgba(237,245,242,1);margin:16px 0;}

If they had been very much second best in the opening period first leg in the Spanish capital they were on top here.

The stats at half-time showed them with 57 per cent possession with six shots and four on target compared to Atletico’s two, both on target.

But the United manager had pointed out before the game that in their last three LaLiga wins, Atletico enjoyed less than 50 per cent of the ball in each.

This is what Diego SImeone’s side do… it is football’s equivalent of rope-a-dope, pretend you are struggling then respond with a sucker punch.

.css-qu9fel{border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-b9nmbi{margin-bottom:16px;border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}

CHELTENHAM FREE BETS AND SIGN UP OFFERS – ALL THE LATEST DEALS FOR THE RACING THIS WEEK

Rangnick had made four changes to the side which beat Tottenham in such spectacular fashion on Saturday.

Anthony Elanga was back and he had two chances to put United ahead in the first quarter of an hour.

There was just three minutes on the clock when a floating cross from Diogo Dalot looked to be falling harmlessly into the hands of the jumping Oblak.

Elanga appeared from nowhere getting an enormous spring off the Old Trafford surface to nod the ball off the goalkeeper’s finger tips but just over the bar.

United were passing the ball around with pace and precision and when Cristiano Ronaldo found Bruno Fernandes down the right his cross to the near post was met by Elanga.

He did everything right, but from point blank range the ball hit the goalkeeper in the face.

They had to be wary of Atletico springing a trap and when Rodrigo de Paul released a 30-year-thunderbolt towards the top left hand corner it needed a great save from David De Gea to deny his former team.

Fred had been fantastic on Saturday and was buzzing from box-to-box again. One turn he did on the byline to beat Stefan Savic had fans gasping in disbelief.

United fans of a certain age will remember Redondo doing something similar 22 years ago to bamboozle Henning Berg here and set up Raul for a goal for Real Madrid.

The Red Devils calls for a penalty when a high boot from Reinildo saw Fernandes go down were turned away.

Fernandes would recover to hit a powerful dipping low drive that was well saved again.

Atletico had the ball in the net on 33 minutes through Joao Felix but Marcos Llorente was offside when he received the pass and crossed to the far post.

Then, four minutes before the break, the deadlock was broken.

United were screaming for a free kick when Elanga went down deep in the visitors half under a challenge from Reinildo.

The referee played on and in a few seconds the ball was up the other end and in the net.

Rodrigo de Paul fed Joao Felix and on it went to Antoine Griezmann as United desperately tried to cut out the spaces their opponents had opened up.

They couldn’t and Griezmann’s cross to the far post found Renan Lodi who headed it in.

The joy at some of United’s football in the first period now turned to frustration and anxiety as the second-half opened.

Harry Maguire’s moment of indecision on the ball at the back that put De Gea under pressure to clear did not help matters early on.

But United did come desperately close to a spectacular equaliser just short of the hour.

Dalot’s chip across the box found Jadon Sancho on an angle and he released a scorching volley that flew just over the far angle.

Rangnick has been good with his substitutions this season to turn games back in United’s favour.

He did just that in the first leg when he made five in the second half including bringing Elanga on to score.

He made another five last night with even Juan Mata coming on but to no avail

Sancho had gone quiet, so too Ronaldo who was playing so far wide at times he was out the game

United’s last chance came and went when Telles swung the ball in from the right, Raphael Varane rose highest and got in a header but goalkeeper Oblak was having some night and denied him.

The final whistle went, the atmosphere drained from Old Trafford.

As the Atletico manager ran straight to the tunnel he was pelted with water bottles.

But United? They are now destined to finish yet another season with no silverware to show – with the current drought their longest without a trophy since they were last relegated, 48 YEARS AGO.

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk