BANISHED Jadon Sancho has reached the Champions League semi-finals while his Manchester United team-mates struggle to make Europe.
The United winger is on loan at Borussia Dortmund after being booted out of Old Trafford after a public row with Erik ten Hag.
And, after starring in the Germans’ thrilling topsy-turvy win over Atletico Madrid, Sancho, 24, has become the first United player to reach the last four of Europe’s premier club competition since 2015.
And that wasn’t someone in a Red Devils shirt either, with Javier Hernandez a beaten semi-finalist while loaned to Real Madrid nine years ago.
The Red Devils have not reached that stage since making it to the final in 2011, which they lost to Lionel Messi’s Barcelona.
United only twice made it as far as the last eight in that time, most recently in 2019.
This season, they finished bottom of their group, gaining only six points in six games against Bayern Munich, Copenhagen and Galatasaray.
In contract, Sancho and Dortmund will now face Paris Saint-Germain for a place in the final at Wembley Stadium.
The 24-year-old started as the German side beat Atletico on Tuesday to overturn a first leg deficit.
Dortmund’s 4-2 win saw them progress 5-4 on aggregate, whilst PSG knocked out Barcelona.
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Sancho returned to Dortmund on loan in January after being banished by Ten Hag.
The forward was forced to train away from the first team after publicly falling out with the United boss.
Having not played for the club since August, he joined Dortmund until the end of the season during the winter transfer window.
Since his move, Sancho has scored twice and provided two assists in 14 appearances for the Bundesliga side.
As well as reaching the last four of the Champions League, they are only outside the top four on goal difference in Germany.
Meanwhile, United sit seventh in the Premier League and 13 points adrift of fourth placed Aston Villa.
By Dave Kidd
THE frightening thing about Manchester United’s season is that they should really be LOWER than seventh in the Premier League.
Even during their current run of one win in seven league matches, United’s results have been better than their performances.
Erik ten Hag’s team deserved to lose each of their last three drawn games against Brentford, Liverpool and Bournemouth.
On goal difference, United are ninth in the league, while only seven teams have scored fewer than their 47 goals.
And if we give any credence to ‘expected points’, then that stat would have them 15th in the table.
If Ten Hag’s men lose Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final to Championship side Coventry, it should not come as a major surprise.
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