Manchester United out of Champions League
Manchester United are out of the Champions League after they were beaten 3-2 away at Wolfsburg last night following a performance which perversely showed glimpses of the attacking endeavour missing in recent weeks but which will be remembered for some calamitous defending.
Needing a win or to at least match PSV Eindhoven’s result against CSKA Moscow in order to progress to the knockout stages, Louis van Gaal’s side got off to an ideal start thanks to Anthony Martial’s brilliantly taken goal after 10 minutes.
However the hosts moved into a 2-1 lead by the break and as the clock ticked down chaos ensued as PSV conceded and then equalised three minutes later, before a bundled own goal pulled United level in Germany and put them on the brink of qualification.
United were down to the bare bones after a number of injuries, with Nick Powell and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson both on as substitutes, and a double-blow came moments later as Naldo scored his second of the night minutes before PSV went 2-1 up at the Philips Stadion, consigning van Gaal’s side to the Europa League.
Elsewhere Manchester City topped their groupfor the first ever time after a quick fire Raheem Sterling brace helped them come from behind to beat Borussia Monchengladbach 4-2 at Eastlands, with Juventus beaten 1-0 away at Sevilla.
Meanwhile Real Madrid routed Malmo 8-0 at the Bernabeu, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring four.
Gordon D’Arcy column
In his column today Gordon D'Arcy looks ahead to a very daunting weekend in the Champions Cup for the provinces, one which, "unless the form of all three squads takes a dramatic upswing, could prove the worst weekend for Irish sides in recent memory."
Struggling Leinster travel to play the mighty Toulon on Saturday but D’Arcy believes the three-in-a-row champions of Europe can be beaten, he writes: “But stay with them and doubt creeps in. Manufacture enough pressure to make them feel like a bunch of players cobbled together. Only a real team can instil these moments of doubt.”
Daunting weekend for the provinces
If Leinster are going to win at the Stade Felix Mayol they must do so without Sean O'Brien, who looks extremely unlikely to be available for selection as he goes through return-to-play protocols.
Ulster are also faced with injury problems of their own ahead of Friday night's game against Toulose, with Iain Henderson, Darren Cave, Dan Tuohy and Peter Nelson joining Tommy Bowe and Jared Payne on the sidelines.
Munster meanwhile welcome Leicester to Thomond Park on Saturday and there are questions over the future of Simon Zebo it is fixtures like this which really stir the 25-year-old, he said: "They are the special nights, special times as a rugby player. They are impossible to replicate elsewhere. These are the nights where you really enjoy being a professional rugby player. You are very grateful when you get to play in front of sold-out Thomond Parks. It is going to be a special night. Hopefully we can make it a good one and win it."
Sean Moran column
In today's column Sean Moran looks at the interprovincial championships, a competition with 89 years of history behind it but which always manages to survive despite forever looking as though it is on deaths door.
Meanwhile Kerry's Colm Cooper could miss the opening stages of the Allianz League and will sit out the McGrath Cup after it was announced he is to undergo shoulder surgery next month.
What to watch out for:
Football
Arsenal and Chelsea's Champions League hopes lie in the balance tonight, with Arsenal needing to win by two clear goals, or better a 3-2 victory, against Olympiakos in Athens (RTE 2, BT Sport Europe, 7.45pm ko). Meanwhile Chelsea need at least a point at home to Porto to secure a place in the last-16 (Setanta, BT Sport Europe, 7.45pm ko)
