• Champions League

Manchester United plane aborts landing

ESPN staff
November 27, 2013
United on the verge of qualifying for last 16


Manchester United's preparations for Wednesday's Champions League match against Bayer Leverkusen were disrupted after their plane to Germany was forced to abort its landing at Cologne airport.

According to reports in the British media, the airbus United were travelling on was ready to land before receiving news just 400 metres above the ground that there was another plane on the runway.

The Monarch Airlines flight, carrying the entire United team and coaching staff, circled the airport and landed 10 minutes later.

United defender Rio Ferdinand tweeted once safely on the ground:

One passenger told the Press Association: "That was not pleasant. Nobody really knew what was going on but everything seemed calm and then the plane suddenly took off again."

United travel to the BayArena capable of securing their place in the knockout stages.

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