We cruised thru the groups easier than I can recall in our 9 year run.
Then go out burning in the next round
In a normal season I'm pretty certain we'd have overturned Lyon tonight. Not 100% but Lyon are a very mediocre side for this level, we've turned over better teams before. Home fans behind us and many players in at least some kind of decent shape. But I'm also pretty certain that we would have gone out to City next round anyway.
It was on the cards in February that this was never going to be a potential CL-winning season. Sarri can take a lot of the blame but the cracks showed badly in the squad once the going got really tough. The list of season flops is a lot longer than the successes.
It also would have been nice to have Chiellini for the season or at least Demiral.
I wonder if there are small financial implications for not reaching the QF? Are the club figures not based around presumed QF minimum?