Updated at 18.00
OWEN HARGREAVES EXPECTS former club Manchester United to struggle in the Champions League next season, as there is a gulf in class to the competition’s elite sides.
Louis van Gaal guided United back to Europe’s elite club competition in 2014-15 as the club finished fourth, a year on from their seventh-placed finish and the ill-fated tenure of David Moyes.
United are expected to embark on a spending spree this summer, with Memphis Depay already acquired, as they seek to challenge both domestically and in Europe, but Hargreaves has dismissed any chances of the club winning the competition.
“I don’t think Manchester United are ready to compete for a Champions League title,” the former midfielder, who was a member of the Champions League winning 2008 squad, said.
“If you look at Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona — realistically I don’t think they are.
“I’m sure the fans would love to get back to those days when they were in the Champions League semi-finals virtually every year and not only winning the league, but winning it beautifully as well.”
He added: “As excited as you are that there is £200 million to spend potentially, I am still not 100 per cent sure how the team is going to look. Chelsea is by far the best team in the country.
“They can go and get players that they specifically need. I think Manchester United need quite a lot.”
Josh is a credit to himself and the team. To come out and face the music in such a manner is no easy task. Thought he spoke brilliantly and with honesty. Not our nation’s night, but I actually don’t feel too upset. It reminds me of heading over to Germany for Dortmund’s draw at the end of last season to let the league slip away (sorry rugby purists!). Just being there in the atmosphere and seeing the comeradery after such a heartbreaking occasion… it almost galvinises you. You think ‘I love this s**t’. Our fans were incredible, the players left it out there, their families backed them, and nobody left us wondering what if. Just nothing but immense pride in our side and our 5.5 million strong country to be slugging it out on the world stage. A hair’s breadth from what we wanted.
The hardest part for this team will be knowing that they didn’t play that well tonight in certain areas and still nearly won.
I’d be asking serious questions of Gary Keegan after that, our supposed mind skills guru. We were very poor and not at the pitch of the game. 13-0 down before we woke up. Terrible.
@Aidan Farrell: Nothing to do with Gary Keegan.he done his bit getting them right mentally. The only question mark is now over Paul O’Connell and his line out coaching..two big games and it was more than dicey
Great player. Probs peaked a few seasons ago, no one close to him in Ireland yet tho.
Van der Flier didn’t have much of an impact this world cup and was blown off the field last night despite he best efforts – he is a class act no doubts however. Andy Farrell was too slow to make changes for Sexton, Porter, Bernie & JvdF which might have cost us in a game of absolute inches. I cant remember a tougher loss that this one..