• Champions League

Evra fumes at 'embarrassing' exit

ESPN staff
December 8, 2011
Manchester United were sent out by a defeat to Basel © Getty Images
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Manchester United defender Patrice Evra admits he is ashamed by the club's shock Champions League exit.

United, beaten finalists last year, crashed out of the competition after a 2-1 defeat to Basel and will now take their place in the Europa League alongside rivals Manchester City.

And the France international has blamed United's slow start for their eventual elimination. "It feels like a dream," he said. "I feel I will wake up tomorrow and we will have qualified. But it is not a dream it is the reality. We should have woken up earlier in this competition. We deserve to be out.

"Even if it is a friendly, when I pull on United shirt I do my best to win that trophy. But it is embarrassing to be in the Europa League. I play for Manchester United to play in the Champions League but some players dream of playing for United in any competition and you have to respect that."

Former United captain Roy Keane has said that United's lack of firepower - Javier Hernandez and Dimitar Berbatov were injured for the Basel match - cost them dearly. "I think [going out] reflects what United have done in truth, they haven't scored enough goals and they haven't beaten Basel or Benfica," said Keane. "It's all about scoring goals."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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