Sir Alex Ferguson blames 'stupid' draw at home to Basel for Manchester United's shock Champions League exit

Manager shocked after seeing his side
dumped out but refuses to blame one
result and highlights previous failings as
key reason for their lack of progression
.
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson
was left disappointed and shocked as he
watched his side dumped out of the
Champions League in a 2-1 defeat to Basel.
The Swiss side’s victory means the Red
Devils finish third in group C and drop into
the Europa League, the first time they have
not made it out of the group stages of the
Champions League in six seasons.
The defeat sees United, finalists in two of
the last three years, drop out of the
competition, and the manager highlighted
the draw at home to Basel as the moment
they can look back and regret in the group.
United were coasting in that game, leading
2-0 but allowed the Swiss side to come back
and earn themselves a sensational 3-3 draw
at Old Trafford.
“I think the Basel result at home is the one
where it went wrong,” said Sir Alex to the
press after the match.
“That’s the one where we’ve got to hold our
hands up and say that was stupid. We
threw it away that night - it was
carelessness. It was 2-0 and could have
been 5-0, so we’ve only got ourselves to
blame in that aspect.
“Of course it is disappointing to go out, our
record in the last few years has been
outstanding and it’s a loss to us going out
because this is the best tournament in the
world – it’s a marvellous tournament.”
Sir Alex highlighted a disappointing start,
which included Marco Streller’s ninth minute
opener, as an important factor in his team's
defeat on the night.
“It wasn’t a good start to the game, which
surprised us,” he said in his post-match
press conference.
“I expected us to try and get control of the
game immediately through possession but
they have scored with what was really their
first attack, a cross into the box that comes
back in and then they are 1-0 up."
Many, including the United boss, expected
the Premier League champions to step up
their performance and earn themselves the
point they needed to qualify but they failed
to take their chances.
Then, an Alexander Frei goal condemned
them to defeat despite Phil Jones' late
consolation and the Scot admitted his side's
reaction to going a goal behind was
something he was not pleased with.
"When you are 1-0 down away from home
it gives you a serious job to do," added Sir
Alex.
"The opportunities we had we didn't take
and that was really the story of the game."
As a result of being knocked out, United
drop into the Europa League and the Red
Devils boss admitted that was something he
would need to prepare his squad for due to
the fixture schedule it causes.
“The Europa League is a competition I have
never been in with United," he said.
“It does mean one thing, that we play
Thursdays and Sundays right through the
season, so that has to be dealt with.
"It is not the best news but that is our
penalty for not qualifying tonight.”