Manchester United's last Champions League night ended in a tame exit from the top table of European competition. The Reds hope it will be different this time.
United won just one match in their 2023-24 European campaign, finishing bottom of a group containing FC Copenhagen, Galatasaray and Bayern Munich. A limp 1-0 loss at Old Trafford to the German giants sealed their fate. The same opposition will be in town this time around with Roma, Leipzig and debutants Sabah also visiting Manchester.
Intriguing Away Ties Await
Intriguing away ties at Atletico Madrid, Sporting Lisbon, Villarreal and Como also await Michael Carrick's side with the clear target for the Reds to progress to at least the play-off round by finishing in the top 24.
Doing so should be within their capabilities but much will come down to the depth of the squad assembled by Carrick and the ability of the boss to juggle multiple competitions.
Squad Depth Key to Progress
The Reds were already out of both domestic cup competitions by the time Carrick took charge last season, and as such he was afforded the luxury of a light schedule and plenty of time on the training ground to implement his methods and help lead a revival which ended with United comfortably finishing third, something that looked a long way off in the final days of Ruben Amorim's tenure.
The 2026-27 campaign is now about progress. United want to be competing for Premier League and Champions League glory, something Carrick did as a decorated player of the Sir Alex Ferguson era.
Midfield Reinforcements and Concerns
If the Reds are to challenge on multiple fronts then the manager must show he has the tactical know-how to tackle Europe's best and the man-management skills to rotate a squad through busy and demanding periods of the season.
Carrick's task will be made that bit easier if the squad assembled is up to scratch. The summer recruitment has focused on the midfield with Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba through the door at a cost of more than £150million.
That expenditure has clearly put United in a better place to meet the demands of a challenging calendar, even if left-back remains an issue, while there are question marks over whether the likes of Lisandro Martinez and Mason Mount can stay fit for a prolonged period of time. The absence of Benjamin Sesko in the opening day defeat to Hull City also raised questions of whether United have the attacking focal point required should the Slovenia international be unavailable.
A Step into the Unknown
The Champions League is an unforgiving place, even if the new league phase seemingly offers more protection to the big names. For Carrick and his new look United it is a step into the unknown that they hope will result in a huge leap forward.
