Former Arsenal and Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann claims the Champions League is better off without Manchester City after they were eliminated from the competition ... and perhaps the same could be said of neighbours Manchester United.
Lehmann, working as a pundit for Germany's Sky television, could not hide his pleasure at seeing City drop into the Europa League as Napoli joined Bayern in qualification from Group A of the competition.
Jens Lehmann: "Man City play very, very boring football.
"They just make their opponents fall asleep with lots of possession.
"But to be honest, that is not tactically very demanding. The way they play here is the way any amateur team plays, only not on such good grass.
"They just pack men behind the ball, have five against two and just move the ball around. The goal then just comes from a fortunate circumstance.
"There was no life in the (Etihad Stadium) stadium.
"It was dead. The fans are so quiet. You have got to say, though, that they have not got anything really to get excited about here.
"It is a shame because it is not typical English football. Napoli have heart and passion and I liked them. It is good that they have gone through.
"We don't want to see Manchester City in the Champions League."
United crashed to FC Basle in Switzerland, looking a pale shadow of the Man Utd teams of previous years.
They've lost the spine that made them a world force. They've lost Edwin van der Sar, one of the greatest goalkeepers ever, and Paul Scholes through retirement.
Rio Ferdinand is well out of sorts, and Wayne Rooney looks to have the troubles of the world on his shoulders.
The fact is ... neither were good enough to qualify ... and they deserved what they got.
Source: FOOTYMAD
