Shaqiri: United underestimated Basel
442 Staff - Wednesday 22 February 2012, 17:07
FC Basel starlet Xherdan Shaqiri has criticised Manchester United for underestimating the Swiss club when the two teams met at St. Jakob-Park in their decisive Champions League fixture earlier this season.
Three-time European champions United only needed a draw to qualify for the knockout phase of the tournament, but succumbed to a 2-1 defeat in Switzlerland which saw them fail to advance past the group stages for only the third time in 17 years.
And 20-year-old Shaqiri, speaking ahead of his side's last 16 tie with German giants Bayern Munich, believes that Sir Alex Ferguson’s men underestimated Basel.
"They underestimated us," the Switzerland international said in a press conference. "You could feel it in the tunnel and at the warm-up: they weren't fully focused.
"I'm not sure a United player made even one sprint. And afterwards, you couldn't even swap shirts, they were gone that quickly.”
The winger has agreed a deal to join Bayern in the summer and will hope to impress his future club in Wednesday’s first leg tie.
By Matt Maltby