Jadon Sancho and Marcel Sabitzer may have dealt Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag a major blow after Borussia Dortmund reached the Champions League semi-finals following a stunning comeback win over Atletico Madrid.
Dortmund came into the tie 2-1 down and were perhaps lucky not to concede more at the Estadio Metropolitano last Wednesday, considering Atlético’s dominant performance.
However, Edin Terzic’s side staged an epic comeback to win 4-2 (5-4 on aggregate) at Signal Iduna Park last night, with former Manchester United star Marcel Sabitzer leading the Bundesliga side to the semifinals in the 74th minute. strike.
Sancho, who returned to Dortmund on loan in January, was on the pitch for all four goals and alongside Sabitzer, may have further compounded the Red Devils boss’ woes in what has been a rollercoaster season.
Manchester United are currently seventh in the league standings and are winless in their last four games. Concerns have grown that Ten Hag’s side could miss out on qualifying for the Champions League next season, having been knocked out of the tournament at the group stage in December.
Man United loanee Jadon Sancho may have dealt his parent club a major blow on Tuesday
He and Marcel Sabitzer helped Dortmund beat Atlético Madrid in the Champions League.
It means Germany is ahead of England in the UEFA coefficient heading into next season.
Next season, the illustrious European tournament will expand from 32 teams to 36, meaning two extra places are up for grabs.
UEFA will award those places to the countries with the best coefficient in the Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League this season.
Italy currently occupies first place in that classification with an average coefficient of 18.428, while AC Milan, Roma, Atalanta and Fiorentina are still in European competitions.
Germany is currently second in the standings with 17,214 after Dortmund’s victory on Tuesday, just 0.464 points ahead of England in third place in the standings.
In addition to Dortmund, Germany also has Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen in European tournaments this season, and English clubs Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, West Ham and Aston Villa are also still in the Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League.
If England overtakes Germany in the standings, it will mean that the team that finishes fifth in the Premier League this season will qualify for the Champions League. Sixth place will advance to play in the Europa League.
It could also be a big blow for Tottenham and Newcastle, who sit fifth and sixth in the league table, with Spurs 10 points ahead of the Magpies and Red Devils, who are tied on 60 points; Newcastle also failed to advance out of the standings. group stage this season.
The two countries with the highest coefficient will obtain another place in the Champions League next season.
Manchester United are currently at risk of not qualifying for the Champions League next season
But Sancho and Sabitzer may have ruined the process for United.
It comes as Sancho’s contract with the Bundesliga side expires at the end of this summer. Dortmund have been planning to make the winger’s £73million move to Signal Iduna Park permanent, with his United contract set to expire in 2026.
Sancho, who has returned two goals and two assists for Dortmund since his return, recently liked a social media post that appeared to criticize his time at Man United.
The winger had been exiled by Ten Hag after he called the Dutch coach a liar for his criticism of his level of training.
Sancho had claimed he had been made a scapegoat in an incendiary social media post in response to his manager’s claims, but Ten Hag remained firm in his stance, and the winger was forced to train away from the first team before to leave on loan.
It remains to be seen whether he will return to United in the summer after being exiled by Ten Hag last season, but he has made it clear that he is happy to be playing in Germany again.
“I’m just grateful to have gotten the goal for the team,” he said. “I have always had a special place for Borussia Dortmund, this is where I made a name for myself, so I have to be grateful to them, but also to my teammates for believing in me.”
Sancho and Dortmund will now advance to face Paris-Saint Germain in the semi-finals
Dortmund will now face PSG in the next round after coming from behind to beat Barcelona.
Meanwhile, back at Old Trafford, Ten Hag’s side are in very much danger of missing out on Champions League play next season, with the Dutch manager recently expressing the financial ramifications missing out on qualification could have for the club. .
‘We don’t even have to discuss this. What exactly is the impact right now? “I don’t know,” she said in February.
“You have more financial power when you achieve the Champions League and that is our goal, absolutely.”
Dortmund will now face PSG in the next round of the tournament after Luis Enrique’s side also sealed an epic comeback against Barcelona on Tuesday night.