Man Utd tormentor's scathing verdict still rings true ahead of reunion clash

29 November 2023 , 06:00

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Man Utd tormentor's scathing verdict still rings true ahead of reunion clash

Manchester United and their old tormentor, Angelino, meet again on Wednesday for another defining Champions League clash.

Three years ago, Angelino was on loan from Manchester City and scored the opening goal in RB Leipzig's 3-2 victory over the Red Devils which sent Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side tumbling into the Europa League. Now playing for Turkish giants Galatasaray, the Spanish left-back and his team-mates have the chance do the same - or even worse if Erik ten Hag's men eventually finish bottom.

Angelino's choice words ahead of United's 5-0 defeat of Leipzig in October 2020 left him with egg on his face, but he ultimately had the last laugh two months later and his scathing verdict of the Red Devils still rings true. The ex-City loanee told RBLive: "What I've seen from Manchester United so far: sometimes they're world class, sometimes they're average. We don't have to hide."

Angelino made his move from City to Leipzig permanent at the end of the 2020-21 season, but after a single campaign as a regular for the East German side he was shipped out on loan to fellow Bundesliga outfit Hoffenheim. Having briefly returned to Leipzig this summer, Galatasaray swooped for his services - once again only on a temporary basis - and his experience of beating United could greatly aid Okan Buruk and co's chances of causing an upset.

His aforementioned comments were made was during Solskjaer's volatile tenure and new boss Ten Hag has done little to change how the Red Devils are perceived around Europe. Sat bottom of Group A needing at least a draw with Galatasaray to have any chance of advancing to the knockout phase, United will then have to take points from none other than Bayern Munich.

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Former Manchester City defender Angelino is on loan at Galatasaray from RB Leipzig (Michael Regan/Getty Images)

On the other hand, a win for Galatasaray would dump the Red Devils out and mean that United's only hope of playing European football in the first half of 2024 would be salvaging third place in the group to secure a Europa League berth. The Turkish Super Lig champions claimed all three points at Old Trafford last month, snatching a late 3-2 victory.

Asked in his pre-match press conference if he thinks that his side have improved since the defeat, Ten Hag replied: "I think so, yeah. But probably it will be the same for Galatasaray. I think we improved, so it's good progress. You see how we are stepping up, we are more stable, we are winning games, so definitely, there's a big difference from the first moment we played them."

Nathan Ridley