Monday marked one of the finest nights in Manchester United’s history – the 10-year anniversary of their third European Cup triumph.
Who can forget the madness in Moscow in 2008 as two English teams faced each other for the first time in a European final, with United beating rivals Chelsea in a thrilling penalty shootout.
As the rain poured down, so did the tears – of joy for Cristiano Ronaldo and despair for John Terry.
Since then it’s been a mix of good and bad on the continent for the Red Devils. There was a first Europa League (UEFA Cup) triumph last season, as well as a trip to two more Champions League finals, where they were thoroughly outclassed by Barcelona.
Here, we take a stroll down memory lane to see how United have fared after that magnificent night in Moscow.
2008/09 Champions League
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi celebrates scoring his goal in the 2009 final.
The defence of their trophy got off to a decent enough start. Following a goalless draw at home to Spain’s Villarreal, United won four of their next fives games in a group also containing Celtic and Danes Aalborg, topping the group with 10 points.
United overcame the man who would go on to become a future Old Trafford manager in Jose Mourinho and his Inter Milan side in the first knockout round; two headers four minutes into each half from Nemanja Vidic and Cristiano Ronaldo sending the Red Devils through.
Things looked bleak in the quarter-final as Porto grabbed two away goals in a 2-2 draw in Manchester. But the tie will be remembered mostly for Ronaldo’s stunning 34-yard strike on his return to Portugal in the second leg. It was the only goal of the game as United won 3-2 on aggregate.
Ronaldo also shone in the semi-final as Arsenal were brushed aside 4-1. After a 1-0 first-leg win at home, United blew the Gunners away at the Emirates, with another Ronaldo screamer and a second following a breathtaking counter-attack earning a 3-1 win away.
Park Ji-sung could have opened the scoring in the final at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico early on against Barcelona, but after he was denied Samuel Eto’o put the Blaugrana ahead. They dominated thereafter and a hanging leap and header from Lionel Messi was the highlight as United were beaten 2-0.
Result: Lost to Barcelona 2-0 in the final
2009/10 Champions League
Arjen Robben admires his strike that sent United out.
United topped their group once again, scoring three more points than the previous year, even though they did lose once, a 1-0 defeat at home to Beskitas, who nevertheless finished bottom of the group.
CSKA Moscow and Wolfsburg were dealt with, the Russians featuring in a thrilling 3-3 draw in Manchester, where the hosts were indebted to an injury time Antonio Valencia equaliser.
In the last 16, David Beckham returned to his boyhood club with AC Milan, who were comprehensively outplayed. After a 3-2 win at the San Siro, a brilliant game in which Wayne Rooney scored two sublime headers, United ripped the Rossoneri to shreds in the second leg, earning a commanding 4-0 win as Becks enjoyed a magnificent homecoming.
Another cracking tie followed as United went out on away goals in the quarter-finals – Bayern Munich gaining some semblance of revenge for defeat in the 1999 final. United got off to the perfect start as Wayne Rooney scored after just 64 seconds in the first leg at the Allianz Arena, but the hosts won 2-1. Darron Gibson and Nani gave United a lead inside seven minutes of the second leg, with Nani’s second goal making it 3-0 after 41 minutes as United led 4-2 on aggregate. But the Bavarians pulled one back through Ivica Olic just before the break. Rafael was then sent off early in the second and Arjen Robben’s brilliant volley sent United crashing out.
Result: Drew 4-4 in quarter-finals with Bayern Munich, who won on away goals
2010/11 Champions League
Barcelona celebrate their 2011 Champions League triumph.
A third final in four years was reached by the rampant Red Devils, although Ferguson’s side were again unfortunate to come up against Barcelona and Messi in their pomp as Pep Guardiola’s side won at Wembley.
United comfortably topped their group again, four wins and two draws earning them 14 points against Rangers, Bursaspor and Valencia – who also qualified for the knockout stages.
A Javier Hernandez brace ensured United progressed to the last eight after beating Marseille 2-1. English opposition were met and dispatched in the quarter-finals as Chelsea were beaten 3-1. United held on for their first victory at Stamford Bridge in almost nine years in a first-leg in which Rooney scored the only goal. At Old Trafford, Hernandez gave United the lead and Ramires’ sending off eased their fears. Didier Drogba’s goal made it 2-1 overall but Park’s goal a minute later saw United through.
Schalke were smashed in the semi-finals as a young Manuel Neuer showed early signs of promise in a 6-1 aggregate hammering.
Barca beat their rivals Real once again to enter the final, which they again controlled. Pedro’s early goal was cancelled out by Rooney’s fabulous effort. But United were always on the back foot and Messi and David Villa put the game to bed.
Result: Lost to Barcelona 3-1 in the final
2011/12 Champions League, Europa League
Wayne Rooney scores to no avail in the second-leg in Bilbao.
Complacency was a feature of United’s dismal showing in Europe a year later as they made an embarrassing group stage exit.
A 1-1 draw in their opener in Benfica was followed by the hosts throwing away a 2-0 lead before needing a late Ashley Young goal to rescue a point in a terrific 3-3 draw with Basel at Old Trafford.
Two wins followed against Romanian minnows Otelul Galati but a third draw arrived as Benfica left Old Trafford with a point.
An unlikely 2-1 defeat to Basel at St. Jakob Park meant that United failed to progress past the group stage of the Champions League for only the third time in 17 years.
Seeded for the last 32 of the Europa League, United scraped past Dutch giants Ajax 3-2 but were schooled by a brilliant performance from Basque side Athletic Bilbao in the last 16 – for whom Ander Herrera featured. The Spaniards won 3-2 at Old Trafford and then finished the job at the San Mames, winning 2-1. They would lose to Atletico Madrid in the final.
Result: Knocked out in group stages of Champions League, lost 5-3 to Athletic Bilbao in Europa League last 16
2012/13 Champions League
Cristiano Ronaldo (l) scores in the second leg at Old Trafford.
United made up for their shock exit in the group stage a year earlier as they topped their Champions League group with 12 points – but their journey was ended by a former hero as Cristiano Ronaldo returned to break the hearts of his old side as Real Madrid dumped them out in the first knockout round.
After finishing above Galatasaray, Braga and Cluj in the first phase, Real and Ronaldo were their opponents in the last 16. It was the first time United faced Ronaldo since selling him to Los Blancos in 2009 for a record £80million and he had a decisive say in the tie.
Danny Welbeck opened the scoring at the Bernabeu but Ronaldo equalised. Sergio Ramos’ own goal saw United take a 2-1 lead in the tie back at Old Trafford – who gave Ronaldo a rapturous reception – but after Luka Modric leveled the tie on aggregate, Ronaldo’s close-range finish saw Madrid prevail 3-2.
Result: Lost 3-2 to Real Madrid in the last 16
2013/14 Champions League
Louis van Gaal’s dull football was not universally loved at United.
With the legendary Ferguson leaving Old Trafford after 26 glorious years, the 2013/14 season was a thoroughly unforgettable one for both United fans and Fergie’s successor David Moyes.
United would finished seventh in the Premier League, although Europe proved something of a sanctuary for the beleaguered Scot. They eventually exited at the hands of Bayern in the last eight, losing 4-2.
United again dominated the group on their way to the knockout stages, winning four and drawing two against Shakhtar Donetsk, Bayer Leverkusen and Real Sociedad – scoring nine goals in two games against the Germans, who finished runners-up.
More misery looked like it would follow for Moyes in the last 16 though as they were shocked 2-0 in Greece by Olympiacos in their first-leg last 16 tie. But a rousing 3-0 win at home thanks to Robin van Persie’s hat-trick saw them progress.
In the quarters, they were battered at home by Bayern but somehow escaped with a 1-1 draw, but after Patrice Evra gave them a 1-0 lead in Germany, they capitulated after the goal and lost 3-1.
Result: Lost 4-2 to Bayern in the quarter-finals
2014/15 Champions League
Moyes’ appointment at United was a disaster.
Their dreadful 2013/14 season saw United finish a lowly seventh in the league, a then-joint worst performance for Premier League holders. It was their lowest-ever finish Premier League finish, resulting in them failing to qualify for a European competition for the first time in a quarter of a century.
Result: No European competition for first time in 25 years
2015/16 Champions League, Europa League
Marcus Rashford scores on his Man United debut.
Louis van Gaal’s first season ended with him guiding the Reds back into Europe, barely, as they had finished fourth in the Premier League. But the Dutchman’s side were dispatched into the Europa League at the first attempt following a shocking group stage campaign.
First of all they had to go through the qualifying stages, where Belgium’s Club Brugge were trounced 7-1 on aggregate.
But in a group featuring PSV, CSKA and Wolfsburg, United finished third following two wins, two draws and two defeats. A devastating 3-2 defeat in Germany in the final game dropped United into the Europa League.
The one saving grace was fans got to see the emergence of Marcus Rashford – the teenager scoring two goals in the second leg of the last 32 tie against Denmark’s Midtjylland. United ran out commanding 5-1 winners with Rashford scoring a brace after replacing Anthony Martial who was injured in the warm-up.
But the Red Devils bowed out in the last 16, made worse by the fact they were outplayed by rivals Liverpool who won 3-1 on aggregate.
Result: Knocked out in Champions League group stages, lost 3-1 in last 16 of Europa League to Liverpool.
2016/17 Europa League
Europa League success was achieved in Jose Mourinho’s first season.
After Van Gaal was sacked following a demoralising league campaign in which United missed out on Champions League football for the second time in three seasons, Jose Mourinho came in and at least claimed a first Europa League crown for the club.
United overcame an opening loss in the group stage to Feyenoord to finish second behind group winners Fenerbahce.
Saint Etienne were trounced 4-0 over two legs in the last 32 – Zlatan Ibrahimovic netting a hat-trick in a 3-0 first-leg win.
Russian’s Rostov were nervously negotiated in the last 16 as United won 2-1, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan scoring in his fourth consecutive European away game while Anderlecht were beaten 3-2 in the last eight, although they needed an extra-time goal from Rashford in the second-leg to advance to the semi-finals.
A fierce Rashford free-kick earned the visiting Reds a 1-0 win in Spain against Celta Vigo before a 1-1 draw in the return leg – although former Manchester City striker John Guidetti missed a late sitter that would have seen the Spaniards progress to the final.
In the final, Paul Pogba’s deflected strike and Mkhitaryan’s sixth Europa League goal secured a 2-0 win for United in Stockholm.
Result: Beat Ajax 2-0 to win Europa League title
2017/18 Champions League
Jose Mourinho trudges off to face the music after Man United’s abject defeat.
United’s return to the Champions League promised much optimism under the watchful eye of Mourinho, yet their last 16 exit to Sevilla was possibly the biggest disappointment of the season.
The Reds negotiated their way into the knockouts easily enough as five wins led to 15 points being accrued in the group phase, albeit included by a defeat to Basel.
In the last 16, however, a timid display in both legs against Sevilla led to a frustrating exit at the hands of feeble opponents. David De Gea kept United in the first-leg with a wonder save from Luis Muriel as the visitors rarely threatened.
A refusal to really attack Vincenzo Montella’s men at home in the second leg led to a nervous atmosphere being generated around Old Trafford which Sevilla eventually clued into and fed off.
A six-minute Wissem Ben Yedder brace after coming off the bench left United needing three goals to progress. Romelu Lukaku pulled one back but having only started to play 160 minutes into a 180 minute tie, United and Mourinho could have no complaints.
Result: Knocked out in last 16 by Sevilla 2-1
