Many thought that one Manchester side would see its Champions League dream come to an end
tonight but in the end, it ended up being the fate of both.
City and United, the two Mancunian giants battling at the Premier League summit, will now battle
together in the Europa League after failing to get the desired results tonight.
The two Manchester clubs have been sensationally dumped out of the UEFA Champions League
following the final round of matches this evening.
Three-time European champions Manchester United are out of this year's tournament having
suffered a 2-1 defeat away to Swiss champions FC Basle 1893. United only needed a point to progress
but found themselves two goals down with ten minutes of the match remaining, with Basle's Marco
Streller and Alexander Frei getting the goals, before Phil Jones pulled one back to make it an
anxious finish for the Swiss side.
By JOHN BOSCHINI
Manchester United and Manchester City might be competing atop the Premier League standings, but
neither of them will be taking part in the UEFA Champions League group stage. Instead, it's off to
the Europa League.
Manchester United became the first finalist to be knocked out in the group stage the following
year after being shocked by FC Basel in Switzerland, 2-1, and relegated to the second tier
competition with a third-place group finish.
FC Basilisk turns Man Utd to stone
Thorsten Fink, the present Hamburger SV manager must have felt chills going up and down his
spine today as his former club, FC Basel dumped Man Utd unceremoniously out of the Champions
League. You read that right. Last year's finalist crashed and burned out in the group stage.
