Burkina Faso
Chinese Taipei
Nigeria

Cristiano Ronaldo to suffer 12-year low point after Man Utd's latest failure

mirror.co.uk, 16 March 2022, 17:41
Manchester United were knocked out of the Champions League by Atletico Madrid in a 1-0 defeat on Tuesday, meaning Cristiano Ronaldo is set to suffer an unfamiliar fate at the end of this season

Cristiano Ronaldo will go without a trophy for the first time in 12 years after Manchester United were dumped out of the Champions League on Tuesday.

The Red Devils were defeated 1-0 by Atletico Madrid at Old Trafford and the result means that their No.7 will be trophy-less come the end of the season for the first time since his debut campaign at Real Madrid, 2009-10. Ronaldo's side were schooled by the Spanish champions over two legs and lost 2-1 on aggregate to see them fall at the first hurdle in the knockout stages.

Renan Lodi's 42nd-minute header gave Diego Simeone and co sage passage to the quarter-finals, while managing to restrict the five-time Ballon d'Or to a grand total of zero shots. Only against Panathinaikos in 2003 and Barcelona in 2011 had Ronaldo previously played the full 90 minutes of a Champions League match and failed to have an effort on goal.

The 37-year-old will now only be able to add to his tally of 18 strikes in all competitions this season during United's final nine Premier League games, as they bid to qualify for Europe's elite competition next term by finishing in fourth place. The predicament comes after Ronaldo was unable to produce any magic in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup, as the Red Devils suffered early-round exits.

In the third round of the former back in September, United's talisman was left out of the squad when West Ham came to town and claimed a shock win, as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer 's decision backfired. And after reaching the fourth round of the FA Cup, Ronaldo's penalty miss against Middlesbrough would prove fatal as the Championship side later triumphed in a dramatic shootout.

It mirror's his first term in Madrid, where the Portuguese memorably donned the No.9 shirt for Real. Manuel Pellegrini 's men were surprisingly knocked out of Champions League by Lyon and their Copa del Rey hopes were famously ended by minnows Alcoron at the round-of-32.

Los Blancos could then only manage a second-place finish in La Liga, Pep Guardiola 's Barcelona claimed the title, despite Ronaldo and Gonzalo Higuain netting 27 leagues goals each. The Red Devils' Premier League campaign has been much less spectacular though, with United sitting fifth and trailing leaders bitter rivals Manchester City, coincidentally managed by Guardiola, by a humiliating 20 points with two months left.

Join the debate! Will Ronaldo have the chance to win another trophy with Man Utd? Let us know your prediction below.

Interim manager Ralf Rangnick is now tasked with getting his team up for a crucial run-in, with the aim of finishing fourth out of their hands thanks to Arsenal 's resurgence. Speaking after the loss to Atletico, the Red Devils boss told a press cofenrece: "[Targeting a top-four finish] 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."

With United now going 18 days without a match, Rangnick added: "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."

Pick up your Daily Mirror every day of the Cheltenham Festival for a FREE £2 shop bet with William Hill which can be used on any of the sporting action! 1 8+ Terms apply. See tomorrow's paper for your voucher.

Top News

6 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool have reportedly identified the Feyenoord duo of Mats Wieffer and Lutsharel Geertruida as potential signings in the upcoming transfer window. 6 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Virgil van Dijk has stated that he is 'very happy' at Liverpool and intends to be a part of the club's big transition when Jurgen Klopp departs as manager at the end of the season. 6 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The first leg lived up to the billing, and Real Madrid and Bayern Munich would do well to increase the entertainment factor in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday evening. 6 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United are reportedly considering selling Mason Greenwood and Jadon Sancho as part of a potential summer clearout to generate funds for new signings. 6 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Tottenham Hotspur head coach Ange Postecoglou was unbothered by Cristian Romero and Emerson Royal's on-field squabble in their 4-2 Premier League loss to Liverpool on Sunday. 6 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The Parc des Princes is the venue for this week's first Champions League contest, as Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund renew hostilities six days on from squaring off at the Signal Iduna Park. 6 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk A Peru international right-back currently making a name for himself in Denmark has revealed his desire to play for Arsenal one day. 6 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City are reportedly preparing to sell striker Liam Delap to the highest bidder in this summer's transfer window. 6 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has hinted that he will be remaining at Anfield this summer to help oversee the club's transition in the post-Jurgen Klopp era. 6 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Erik ten Hag disclosed that Manchester United's representatives have visited Jadon Sancho at Borussia Dortmund to discuss the possibility of his return to Old Trafford next season. 6 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Regarded as one of the favourites to conquer the continent this summer, the pressure could hardly be weighing heavier on the shoulders of Gareth Southgate's England ahead of their pilgrimage to Germany for Euro 2024. 6 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk West Ham United have reportedly agreed terms with Julen Lopetegui to succeed David Moyes as manager at the end of the season. 6 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The continent's best will soon come together for the latest summer gathering, as 24 nations vie for glory at this year's Euro 2024 Championships across the German landscape. 6 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez appears to have removed nearly all traces of the club from his Instagram account amid rumours of a possible exit from Anfield this summer. 6 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Six days on from a five-goal extravaganza in the first leg of their Europa Conference League semi-final showdown, Club Brugge and Fiorentina reunite for their return battle on Belgian soil on Wednesday. 6 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Bayern Munich head coach Thomas Tuchel is facing a couple of defensive quandaries ahead of the second leg of their Champions League semi-final with Real Madrid at the Bernabeu on Wednesday evening. 6 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti should only have to contend with the loss of one infirm player for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final with Bayern Munich on Wednesday evening. 6 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk For the 28th time in their long and illustrious histories, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich will cross paths in the Champions League, this time in the second leg of their semi-final at the Bernabeu on Wednesday evening. 6 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Two Arsenal stars who have not been regulars in Mikel Arteta's starting lineup this season are reportedly being lined up for big-money moves to Saudi Arabia. 6 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag is not concerned about the prospect of Red Devils captain Bruno Fernandes leaving Old Trafford. 6 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool-linked Feyenoord head coach Arne Slot has further suggested that he will soon be taking the reins at Liverpool and confirmed that an "announcement" on his future is imminent. 6 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk All transfer business is done and dusted for this season, but that doesn't stop clubs from preparing ahead for next season. 6 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Antalyaspor vs. Pendikspor (Monday, 6.00pm) Pendikspor will have another chance to boost their survival hopes when they travel to face Antalyaspor at the New Antalya Stadium on Monday night. 6 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Salernitana vs. Atalanta (Monday, 5.00pm) Still in the hunt for two trophies this season, Atalanta BC will aim to keep the pressure on Serie A's top five when they visit relegated Salernitana on Monday. 5 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk One of Chelsea's young attackers plying his trade on loan elsewhere has confirmed his desire to leave the club permanently this summer. 5 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea have reportedly approached Napoli to propose a player-plus-cash deal for their star striker Victor Osimhen during the summer transfer window. 5 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The entourage of Erik ten Hag have reportedly been contacted by one of Europe's leading clubs amid the Dutchman's uncertain future with Manchester United. 5 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool attacker Mohamed Salah achieved an unprecedented Premier League feat in the Reds' 4-2 success over Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield. 5 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou was pleased to see his side look more like their usual selves in their 4-2 hammering at the hands of Liverpool at Anfield. 5 May 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Bayern Munich are sweating over the fitness of Eric Dier for Wednesday's Champions League semi-final second leg against Real Madrid, while Raphael Guerreiro has been ruled out with an ankle issue.