Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick could not hide his frustration after the 1-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid.
The Reds, despite unflinching support from the home crowd, were unable to respond to Renan Lodi’s first-half header and bowed out of the Champions League at the round-of-16 stage.
Diego Simeone’s men produced a masterclass in seeing out time in the second half after their controversial goal came seconds after Anthony Elanga appeared to be fouled when embarking on a dynamic run down the right wing.
Here’s what Ralf had to say in his post-match interviews with club media and BT Sport…
OVERALL ANALYSIS
“We started the game exactly the way that we wanted to play it, energetically. From the very first minute, we were in control of the game. We could have scored an early goal, when we hit the crossbar and there were two or three other good moments in the first half. But, unfortunately, we were not able to convert that energy into one or two goals in the first half, which would have been highly important, to score the first goal ourselves. And then we conceded that one transitional moment shortly before half-time and this didn’t make our life any easier. I still believe there was a foul on Anthony Elanga a little bit before that counter-attack moment but the referee and linesman didn’t see it that way.”
STOP-START SECOND HALF
“I don’t think that the game went more than three minutes in a go, it was always interrupted with somebody lying on the floor. I think there were also some curious refereeing decisions. I wouldn’t say, in the end, that they were decisive but at least he fell too often for those time-wasting antics and, in the end, four minutes’ extra time was just a joke for me.”
BRIDGING THE GAP
“Right now, to think about how can we close the gap to the top teams, is, for me, too early. My focus is on finishing on the highest possible level with this team and then there is enough time to speak about other things.”
A LONG BREAK
“Well, I would say, on one hand, I think it’s not so bad that the players are on international duty. Maybe it can help them to overcome the frustration they feel right now. And then we’ll see each other in one-and-a-half weeks with those players not on international duty in for a normal week and hopefully training, most of them, in preparation for the Leicester game.”
TOP-FOUR FINISH THE TARGET
“Yes, but that would have been the case, even if we’d have won the game tonight. We also have to be realistic. To achieve that, we have to win six, if not seven, of the games and win away at Arsenal. It’s not an easy thing to achieve, at the end, but we will try hard and our very best to finish fourth at the end of the season. Whatever happens, our job now, together with the fantastic supporters, the fans were fantastic today, is to finish this season on the best and highest possible note.”
Credit: Manchester United
