There was some optimism around Manchester United before Juventus arrived at Old Trafford on Tuesday evening.
A comeback against Newcastle United followed by a good draw away to Chelsea had lifted the doom around Old Trafford and pulled Jose Mourinho back from the brink of being sacked by the media.
Perhaps it was all part of the cruelty to set the club’s fans up for the fall on the way. The Turin media had been cocky in the run up to the match, with Tuttosport explaining repeatedly that it wasn’t just a chance to pick up three points, but also an opportunity to tap up some of the home team’s players.
It was the walk in the park they seemed to expect, and the 1-0 scoreline doesn’t do justice to the gulf between performances.
Once upon a time, Manchester United being beaten at Old Trafford in European competition would be a story in itself around the continent’s media, but now it’s half expected and the story is about how poor the team were.
L’Equipe say ‘The Turin club smothered Manchester United yesterday, even if the score does not reflect their dominance.’
The French newspaper believe that Mourinho’s men going in 1-0 down at half time ‘was a form of miracle as they were asphyxiated by the high and aggressive pressing’.
Their player ratings don’t seem as brutal as perhaps they could have been. Known for their very tough marking, L’Equipe were perhaps kind to give Romelu Lukaku 3/10, especially when it’s considered they only scored Luke Shaw a point higher.
Over in Spain, Marca gave blank marks to all of Chris Smalling, Nemanja Matic, Marcus Rashford and Lukaku.
Catalan newspaper newspaper Sport judged both Lukaku and Rashford as 4/10.
In Italy there’s some puffing out of chests going on.
Turin newspaper Tuttosport go with a front page shouting ‘BELLISSIMA!’.
Going against pretty much everyone else, Tuttosport don’t think Lukaku was one of the very worst on show.
The striker is given 5/10, which places him higher than Shaw, Rashford and Anthony Martial. Go figure.
Gazzetta dello Sport disagree and judge the Belgian as ‘The Worst’ on 4/10, explaining: ‘Symbol of the torments of the United season: when the striker does not score, it becomes hard for everyone. At this moment the Belgian is almost a deadweight, lost and confused in opposing defences, but Mourinho has no alternative.’
Chris Smalling has been handed 5/10, and the following barb: ‘His performance was as mediocre as his haircut.’
David De Gea was declared the best for Manchester United and described as a ‘flower in the rubble’.
