Ralf Rangnick criticises referee performance & Atletico’s ‘time wasting’ as Man Utd exit Champions League

Ralf Rangnick was critical of some ‘curious referee decisions’ and Atletico Madrid’s ‘time-wasting antics’ as Manchester United were eliminated from the Champions League on Tuesday, but admitted his side didn’t do enough to progress.

A 1-0 loss in the second leg at Old Trafford meant the Red Devils were defeated 2-1 on aggregate in the last-16 of Europe’s premier competition and now face a difficult final two months of the season.

United were the better side for the first 30 minutes on Tuesday and saw more of the ball than their opponents, while they also seemed more energetic and likely to score the opening goal.

But it was Renan Lodi who ghosted in at the back post just before half-time to head in the only goal of the game, while Atletico engaged in their favourite Champions League pastime in the second half, as they tried to run down as much time as possible.

The Spanish champions bought a number of cheap free-kicks from Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic, while they surrounded him on several occasions, and often took an age to restart play after a stoppage.

Rangnick was also left furious during the game for what he felt was a foul on Anthony Elanga in the build-up to Atleti’s goal, however speaking after the match, the United interim manager conceded his side didn’t produce enough chances over 90 minutes.

“I think we played a good first half,” the German said in his post-match press conference. “All the things we planned to do in that first half, the team did. The only thing that we didn’t do was convert that energetic performance into the first goal.

“Against a team like Atletico, it is highly important that you score the first goal yourself, and if you don’t do that, it’s even more important not to concede a goal and just before half-time we conceded that goal in a transitional moment.

“I believe there was a foul on Anthony Elanga before that, but the referee and linesman didn’t see it that way. That’s why we were 1-0 down at half-time. I think we shouldn’t have been 1-0 down at half-time, we were the better team in the first half.

“In the second half, I don’t know if the game was played for more than two minutes without being interrupted or without someone lying on the floor. I think there were some curious refereeing decisions, that I wouldn’t necessarily say were decisive, maybe the one before they scored.

“But I think he made it pretty easy for Atletico to do their time-wasting antics and it didn’t make it any easier for us. It was difficult and frustrating for us.

“In the second half we tried everything, we had a few moments off set-pieces, but from normal play we didn’t produce that many chances.”