Manchester United are back in the Champions League this season, having qualified for the prestigious tournament in consecutive years for the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013.
The group stage didn’t get off to the best start for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side, with United surprisingly losing against Swiss minnows Young Boys in the first round.
The Reds bounced back in the following round, however, as a 95th-minute winner from Cristiano Ronaldo saw United steal all three points against Villarreal at Old Trafford.
Lionel Messi, now at Paris Saint-Germain after leaving Barcelona over the summer, has named Manchester United as one of the favourites for the Champions League this season.
“It is true that the centre of attention is on PSG, but there are other very strong teams, such as Chelsea, the Manchester teams (United and City), Real Madrid, who always responds, Inter Milan, Bayern,” Messi told L’Equipe, via the Manchester Evening News.
Manchester United welcome Atalanta to Old Trafford in their next group game, with a victory vital if they plan on advancing to the next round of the Champions League for the first time since the 2018/19 season. United are currently third in their group but could claim the top spot if results go their way next week.
