Manchester United were eliminated from the Champions League group stage after suffering a 1-0 defeat against Bayern Munich at Old Trafford on Tuesday.
A dismal European campaign meant Erik ten Hag’s side failed to secure the safety net of a place in the Europa League after finishing bottom of Group A.
United took four points from their six group phase games, rooting them to the bottom of a Champions League group for the first time since 2005.
In what was their worst-ever Champions League campaign, their four-point haul was also the first time United picked up fewer than six points in the initial phase of Europe’s premier club tournament.
United’s forgettable Champions League experience saw them pick up just seven coefficient points in UEFA’s latest club ranking.
Their meagre tally is their lowest single-season coefficient in 17 years since an eight-point haul back in the 2005/06 campaign and significantly fewer than the 19 points they racked up last term.
United are ninth 9th in UEFA’s latest club coefficient ranking with a total of 92 points.
They are fourth amongst English clubs, with next-door neighbours Manchester City leading the pack with 141 coefficient points.
The Cityzens blitzed through a favourable group-stage campaign, winning all six games to rack up 21 coefficient points.
Participating in the Europa League this season, Liverpool are second among English clubs with 107 points, while Chelsea, who failed to secure a place in Europe last term, are third with 96 points.
What does this mean for United next season?
United’s pre-Christmas exit from the Champions League could bear catastrophic consequences for the club moving forward.
UEFA plans to implement a ‘Swiss League’ format in the Champions League next season, adding another qualification spot to the top two performing European leagues based on their coefficient rankings.
Germany and Italy are the top two divisions in UEFA’s latest rankings, with England sitting fourth behind Spain.
A better performance from United would have influenced the rankings, putting the Premier League in a stronger position to earn a fifth Champions League spot.
United cannot shoulder the entire blame for England’s decline in the rankings, but a fifth Champions League spot would have been beneficial for Ten Hag’s squad, considering their Premier League performance.
The 2023/24 season has been tumultuous, with the Red Devils positioned in sixth place, trailing the top four by six points.
Heading into the second half of the season, there must be a marked improvement from Ten Hag’s troops if they’re going to secure a spot in next season’s Champions League.
