Manchester United playmaker Shinji Kagawa tasted defeat against Bayern Munich for the first time in his career in tonight’s 3-1 Champions League loss at the Allianz Arena.
The Japan international was handed a rare start by boss David Moyes but could not prevent his side crashing out of the competition at the quarter-finals stage, having drawn the first leg 1-1 at Old Trafford last week. Kagawa is no stranger to the Bavarian giants, having come up against them on a number of occasions during his time at Bundesliga heavyweights Borussia Dortmund. During his successful stint at the German club, where he rose to stardom between 2010 and 2012, he was not on the losing side against Bayern but his record was finally shattered in Munich tonight. If he remains a United player he will not be handed the chance of revenge for at least one season, as the champions are almost certain to miss out on qualification for Europe’s top club competition.
Moyes’ men are way off the pace in the pursuit of a top-four Premier League finish and their only realistic hope of playing in the tournament next season was to lift the European Cup. Should Kagawa be given a more prominent role at United next season? Join the debate at Scribble Live.
