Bayern banish United ghosts

MANCHESTER UNITED’S Champions League hopes were left in tatters at Old Trafford last night, where Bayern Munich produced a thrilling fightback to gain suitable revenge for events of 1999 and leave Alex Ferguson facing the unthinkable prospect of seeing his season disintegrate around him.

On a bizarre evening, United somehow snatched defeat from the jaws of victory and a place in the last four. Despite roaring into a three-goal lead inside the opening 43 minutes, a night of joy turned to shock and despair as the Germans somehow clawed their way back into the contest through Ivica Olic before Rafael was dismissed for his second booking and Arjen Robben plundered a stunning volley with 17 minutes remaining to secure their passage courtesy of the away goals rule and leave England without a team in the semi-finals for the first time in seven years.

Ferguson had described the defeat in the Allianz Arena as a ‘kick in the teeth’, but that was nothing compared to this. True, the late goal last week had been exactly that, but what had concerned him more had been United’s inability to maintain possession, a quality Ferguson has taken huge pride in down the years. Yet prior to kick off he had been equally determined to stress how vital it was his players didn’t drown in the disappointment and thus provide the ultimate response by showing the character required to secure a place in the last four.