CL qualification finally gone
Disgrace robs United of last hope
05/07/2022, 21:19
Ralf Rangnick started out to lead the struggling English giants Manchester United into the Champions League. Since a bad smack against middle-class club Brighton & Hove Albion, it has been clear: the mission has failed.
Chelsea got a little out of step in the last few meters of the Premier League season. The top English football club, coached by Thomas Tuchel, did not get more than a 2-2 (0-0) lead against Wolverhampton Wanderers on the 36th matchday after a two-goal lead and, after three games in a row without a win, won the Champions League Qualification still not in the bag.
Manchester United, on the other hand, has gambled away its last mathematical chance for the premier class. Ralf Rangnick’s team went under at Brighton & Hove Albion 0: 4 (0: 1) and can at best still qualify for the Europa League. Former Ingolstadt player Pascal Groß scored to make it 3-0 (57th). Rangnick, who will be in charge of the Austrian national team in the future, has won just 11 of his 28 games as a United manager.
The Champions League qualification was Rangnick’s declared goal, who took over the team, which had been strengthened before the season with ex-Dortmunder Jadon Sancho and the returned superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, in November in 8th place from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. “We want to finish fourth in the league, that’s the highest goal we can achieve,” Rangnick announced in February. “We definitely want to reach the Champions League, but it won’t be easy.” Now the mission has finally failed.
There was malice for the record champions from England’s football idol Gary Lineker. The former world-class player wrote on Twitter: “Good heavens! Brighton are playing fabulous football. In contrast, this could have been United’s worst performance of the season – and that’s saying something.”
After the season, Erik ten Haag will take care of a rebuild. Rangnick had already warned his successor on the Manchester United bench: “You don’t even need glasses to see and analyze where the problems lie,” said the 63-year-old former coach and sports director of Bundesliga soccer club RB Leipzig. It is not enough to implement small changes. “In medicine, you would say it’s open-heart surgery. If everyone recognizes that this has to happen and work together, it doesn’t have to take years.”
Tuchel is happy about “perspective”
Romelu Lukaku (56th / penalty kick, 58th) had put Chelsea, who are still third in the table, in front. Trincao (79′) and Conor Coady (90′ + 7′) spoiled what was actually a very positive Saturday for the Blues, where Timo Werner and Antonio Rüdiger were in the starting XI and Kai Havertz came on as a substitute.
Subject to the approval of the Premier League and the British government, the big club from London is going to an investor group led by the American entrepreneur Todd Boehly, who watched the game against Wolverhampton in the stadium, for 4.25 billion pounds (around 5 billion euros).
Great Britain had frozen the assets of former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich because of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine – including the top football club, which has therefore been up for sale since March. The government will ensure that the Russian oligarch does not personally benefit from the sale.
“It gives us a perspective,” said Tuchel before the game against Wolves: “Hopefully things will progress as quickly as possible.” Under the new owner, squad planning for the coming season can be intensified, and the stadium at Stamford Bridge is also to be renovated.
Meanwhile, Watford FC is the second relegated club after Norwich City. The former club of pop icon Elton John can no longer reach the saving bank after the 0: 1 (0: 1) at Crystal Palace with three games left.