'I'm simmering... I saw players pretending to run': Gary Neville rages over Manchester United's performance in Champions League defeat by Barcelona

  • Manchester United icon Gary Neville is still seething at the club's European exit 
  • United were eliminated in the quarter-finals stage by La Liga giants Barcelona 
  • The Red Devils lost both legs and failed to hit the back of the net 
  • Neville feels some players were 'pretending to run back' during the match

Manchester United legend Gary Neville is still seething at the weak exit from his former club in the Champions League quarter-finals.

United travelled to Barcelona just one goal behind in the clash, but were brushed aside by the Catalans at the Nou Camp and lost the fixture with a 4-0 aggregate scoreline.

Speaking ahead of United's return to Premier League action against Everton, Neville outlined a lack of effort from certain sections of the first team. 

Manchester United legend Gary Neville is still seething at the weak exit of his club in Europe

Manchester United legend Gary Neville is still seething at the weak exit of his club in Europe

Neville picked up on recent comments from his former team-mate and now manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who said some players were in need of a reality check. 


'Now we're seeing what Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer] was talking about on Friday. It's a reality check, I think it's a reality check for all of us,' said Neville.

United's star names failed to perform at the Nou Camp as Lionel Messi stole the show

United's star names failed to perform at the Nou Camp as Lionel Messi stole the show

'I went to Barcelona and watched the game. I saw players pretending to run back, making it look like they were running back but doing that little jogging one. It's rubbish. What we're seeing now is what the players are.  

'I'm simmering to be honest with you, my blood is about to boil because I didn't buy into these players were always fantastic when the started winning. 

'We think about the game against Liverpool, everything was perfect, Ole had got the players playing, Jose was a bum and it was all down to Jose.'

Neville feels Solskjaer's recent change in stance is evidence that things need to be done at his former club

Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer recently admitted some of his players need a reality check

Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer recently admitted some of his players need a reality check

'Ole still says that the attitude is still good, but he hasn't changed his language – which he has done in this last week – without seeing things that have concerned him,' Neville added.

'When he says some of the players need a reality check, some of them, we can see it with our own eyes what's going on there, we know what's going on, we can feel it, we can smell it, that's why my blood's boiling but I think it's another week before we go for it fully.'