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Manchester United’s starting lineup in their last Champions League game speaks volumes of the rebuild Erik ten Hag inherited from Ralf Rangnick last summer. And it rings true to the Dutchman’s recent claims that there wasn’t a good culture at the club when he arrived from Ajax.
“Strict lines are what the club asked me because there was no good culture before I entered last season, so to set good standards, that is what I did, and it is my job to control the standards,” Ten Hag said last week.
“Of course, it is never someone only makes one mistake. It is a whole process before you come to a certain outcome about strict lines. If staff or players or whoever, there is a structure to cross lines, so you have to be strong.”
United’s last Champions League fixture fell in March 2022 and ended in a toxic fashion as Atletico Madrid dumped Rangnick’s side out at Old Trafford.
The Red Devils hosted Atletico after salvaging a 1-1 draw from the Wanda Metropolitano but fell short due to Renan Lodi’s first-half winner.
Diego Simeone ran down the Old Trafford tunnel as furious fans threw projectiles toward the Argentine coach ahead of a year-long absence from the competition.
United will hope their return among Europe’s elite is more successful under Ten Hag, given a staggering 13 players in that squad that lost to Atletico are no longer at the club.
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David de Gea started in goal but is no longer at United after his contract expired in July. Alex Telles also started 18 months ago but now plays with Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr.
Diogo Dalot is expected to start again, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka out injured, and Raphael Varane could also feature after returning to training on Tuesday.
Harry Maguire started against Atletico but is unlikely to start after slipping to fourth in Ten Hag’s centre-back pecking order since.
In midfield, Bruno Fernandes is now club captain and will play a key role at the Allianz Arena, and Scott McTominay may also be involved if Ten Hag sticks with a diamond formation.
Fred is now playing for Fenerbahce, but Casemiro, Christian Eriksen and Mason Mount have all joined United since their last Champions League exit.
In attack, Ronaldo is now settled in Saudi Arabia, and Anthony Elanga has also parted ways, joining Nottingham Forest in a £15million deal in the summer.
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Jadon Sancho started alongside the duo against Atletico, but he won’t travel to Germany while Ten Hag banishes him as a disciplinary measure.
Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic, Edinson Cavani, Juan Mata, Dean Henderson, Eric Bailly, Phil Jones and Jesse Lingard were all among Rangnick’s substitutes on that night.
None are at the club anymore. Marcus Rashford, also on the bench, will start this time around. Victor Lindelof could also keep his place if Varane isn’t ready, but Tom Heaton and Wan-Bissaka are ruled out.
Man Utd’s last Champions League squad
Starting XI: De Gea; Dalot, Varane, Maguire, Telles; McTominay, Fred; Sancho, Fernandes, Elanga; Ronaldo
Substitutes: Henderson, Heaton, Wan-Bissaka, Victor Lindelof, Eric Bailly, Phil Jones, Nemanja Matic, Paul Pogba, Juan Mata, Jesse Lingard, Marcus Rashford, Edinson Cavani
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