Are you a tool-wielding person? If so, go ahead and throw your wrench into both the Champions League and Premier League races. After both Manchester clubs failed to qualify for the knockout round of the Champions League, the whole European soccer scene has shifted. England and Spain have been recent perennial powerhouses in the Champions League scene but only Barcelona and Real Madrid have advanced out of the arguably best four teams in Europe.
On Wednesday, Manchester United needed a draw at FC Basel to advance to the round of 16 while Manchester City needed a win or a Napoli loss to stay afloat. Neither happened and now both will sit back while other European club teams strive for one of the most prestigious titles in the world. This will not only alter the course of Champions League soccer come February, but will change how the English Premier League race will play out.
As a United fan, this loss to Basel was admittedly devastating. Competing for the Champions League title has been a given for United for 14 of the last 16 seasons, and now they find themselves on the outside looking in. United started the season on a tear that was normal of a Sir Alex squad, but have stumbled mightily since their embarrassing loss at the hands of City. With news that captain Nemanja Vidic is out for the season with a knee injury, the United faithful will certainly be in a state of pain that they have not experienced for quite some time.
For City, this loss is tough but not as crushing. They needed a win and a loss by Napoli, and by beating Bayern Munich 2-0 they did their part but Napoli did not lose and thus advanced ahead of City. However, critics of the newly successful Manchester City squad will say their path to the Premier League title will be easier now that they do not have to deal with the pressures of the Champions League. This is true to some extent. Playing against Europe’s best while also being targeted by every other team in the EPL can be tough and may be the reason that few teams have been able to win both. Chelsea and Arsenal, who both advanced to the knockout stage of the Champions League, will certainly feel that they have more obstacles along the road to catching City in the EPL.
The city of Manchester had certainly been flying high this season and the events of the past week have brought both squads down to earth. It should still be an interesting race for the EPL title, with the perils of winter and the January transfer window yet to come. But it will be in the back of the minds of fans, players, and managers alike that both Manchester clubs were not able to stave off the pressure and stay in the Champions League. Winning the EPL without participating in this top-level competition will not be quite as sweet if either City or United take home the championship and while we can hope that the race stays exciting, it certainly has lost some its luster.
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