The Champions League has not been a happy hunting ground for Manchester United in recent years. United haven’t reached the quarter-finals of the competition since 2019 when they were ruthlessly dispatched 4-0 on aggregate by Barcelona.
This year saw Erik ten Hag's side finish rock-bottom of a group containing Bayern Munich, FC Copenhagen and Galatasaray, and United are looking increasingly unlikely of qualifying for next season's Champions League.
The United hierarchy and Sir Jim Ratcliffe will be crying out for Ten Hag’s side to make Champions League football a possibility next season given the financial implications of missing out on the lucrative competition at a time when United are sailing close to the wind with the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).
But on the field, is top-tier European football the be-all and end-all for United when they've not been particularly competitive of late? READ MORE: United are doing what they should have done five years ago with restructure READ MORE: Ten Hag has gone viral for answering the question every United fan is asking The Europa League, should they qualify, has consistently offered United more chance of success over the years.
Read more on manchestereveningnews.co.uk