In a historic turn of events, Roony Bardghji etched his name in football history as the youngest player to score against Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League, marking a milestone at just 17 years and 358 days. This accomplishment places him as only the second 17-year-old to achieve such a feat against an English side in the competition, following Jude Bellingham’s performance against Man City in April 2021.
Manchester United, a powerhouse in football, faced an unprecedented defeat in a UEFA Champions League match where they led by 2+ goals for the first time. This setback marked the Red Devils’ initial loss after taking a two-goal lead since September 2014, when they succumbed to a 5-3 defeat against Leicester City in the Premier League.
The current season has seen Manchester United face challenges, with nine defeats in all competitions, making it their highest in the opening 17 matches of a season since 1973-74 under Tommy Docherty. Among Premier League sides, only Burnley has lost more games (10) in all competitions than the Red Devils (9) this season.
Rasmus Højlund emerges as the leading scorer for Manchester United in all competitions, boasting five goals, all of which came in the UEFA Champions League. Højlund’s impressive feat of reaching five goals in the competition in just four appearances sets a record as the quickest any player has achieved this for the Red Devils.
Aged 20 years and 277 days, Rasmus Højlund further solidifies his place in history, becoming the youngest player to score twice in an away UEFA Champions League match for Man Utd. Mohamed Elyounoussi showcases his prowess with two goals in four UEFA Champions League games for FC København, matching his tally from 11 appearances in the competition for Basel beforehand. His first goal against Man Utd came in his sixth appearance in all competitions against them.
Diogo Gonçalves joins the ranks of players achieving a rare feat, being only the second player to both score and assist a goal in the same UEFA Champions League game for FC København, following Marcus Allbäck’s performance against Celtic in December 2006.
In a surprising turn of events, Marcus Rashford receives only his second red card in 374 Manchester United appearances across all competitions, with the first occurring in September 2018 against Burnley.
Jonny Evans breaks a long hiatus, making his first UEFA Champions League appearance for Manchester United since December 2013 against Shakhtar, a gap of nine years and 333 days. The only player with a longer gap between games played for the same English club in the competition is Cristiano Ronaldo, also for Man Utd, with a staggering 12 years and 110 days.
For a detailed breakdown of the FC Copenhagen vs. Manchester United clash at the Parken Stadium in Denmark, delve into our Opta match center. Featuring team and player stats, expected goals data, passing networks, an Opta chalkboard, and more, it provides everything you need for an insightful analysis post-game.
Roony Bardghji’s historic moment, coupled with the twists and turns of the match, adds an extra layer of excitement to the ongoing UEFA Champions League season. Stay tuned for more updates and in-depth analyses as the football saga continues to unfold.