Since Sir Alex Ferguson's departure in 2013, Manchester United has endured a series of disappointing campaigns in the Champions League. The club, a three-time winner of Europe's most prestigious club competition, has failed to advance beyond the quarter-finals in seven attempts during this period. Their performance has seen a significant decline, with less than half of their Champions League fixtures won since Ferguson's exit, and only 34 percent in the current decade.
David Moyes
Moyes, handpicked by Ferguson to succeed him, lasted just ten months at the helm. His tenure was marked by inconsistency and embarrassing losses. In the Champions League, after a comfortable group stage, United narrowly avoided elimination in the last 16 against Olympiacos, only to be defeated by Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals.
Louis van Gaal
The Dutchman arrived with a decorated CV but struggled to replicate his past successes. Van Gaal's single Champions League season with United ended in an early group stage exit. The team finished third in a group with Wolfsburg, PSV, and CSKA Moscow, subsequently moving to the Europa League where they were eliminated by Liverpool.
Jose Mourinho
Mourinho managed to win the Europa League in his first season, but his Champions League campaign with United was short-lived. Despite a 0-0 draw in the first leg, Sevilla eliminated United in the round of 16 with a 2-1 home victory.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
Solskjaer, a former player who scored a historic winner in the 1999 final, had a memorable Champions League moment in March 2019, orchestrating a comeback against PSG after a 2-0 home defeat. However, this was followed by an aggregate defeat to Barcelona in the quarter-finals. The following season, United were eliminated in the group stage, finishing third behind PSG and RB Leipzig. Solskjaer was dismissed in November of the subsequent season before the group stage concluded.
Ralf Rangnick
As interim manager, Rangnick oversaw just three European games. A draw against Young Boys in the final group game followed a 1-1 draw away to Atletico Madrid. United were then eliminated by Atletico after a 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford in the second leg of the last-16 tie.
Erik ten Hag
Erik ten Hag's tenure saw United finish bottom of their Champions League group in the 2023-24 season, suffering significant losses to Copenhagen and Galatasaray. This marked an even worse group stage exit than his predecessors, Van Gaal and Solskjaer. Despite winning the FA Cup at the end of that season, he was sacked in October with the team languishing in 14th place in the league.
Michael Carrick
Following a caretaker spell, Michael Carrick secured United's return to the Champions League by guiding them to third place in the league. However, his permanent role has been challenging, marked by a poor start to the current campaign. Wins have been scarce, including a victory against Azerbaijani side Sabah, but these have been overshadowed by defeats to Atletico Madrid and Como. Carrick faces a crucial match against Roma, with the team desperate for a positive result to improve their form and potentially secure his job.