At the start of the Champions League group stage, nobody expected that both Manchester teams would be eliminated.

But Wednesday’s results relegated Manchester United and Manchester City to the Europa League, considered by many as the second division of European club competition football.

It was the first time since 2005 that the Red Devils were out of the running for Europe’s most lucrative event before Christmas. For their part, Manchester City were hoping to make it through to the second round for the first time, and their multi-million star-studded team should have been able to make it.

Both didn’t.

When the draws for the group stage were made, it appeared to many that Manchester United would have had an easy passage through to the second stage of the competition. Benfica are no longer a dominant force on the continent and Basel never were. The other side in the group, Romania’s Otelul Galati, were almost unheard of before this season.

And yet, Sir Alex Ferguson’s side were humiliatingly chucked out of the competition, winning only two games against the Romanian minnows, and losing the decisive one in Switzerland last Wednesday, when a draw would have seen them through.

Manchester City’s group was more difficult, as it included four-time European champions Bayern Munich, and clubs from Italy and Spain, Napoli and Villarreal. With Bayern starting off as favourites, it was thought that there would have been a three-way battle for the runner-up position, but Villarreal were immediately put out of contention.

In the end, the qualification was decided through the direct encounters between Napoli and City, with the Italian side winning their home match and drawing in Manchester in a game that City dominated.

United and City both have the power to be able to win the Europa League, but this depends on their determination to go all the way. Playing in this competition was not what they wanted – and they have lost loads of cash because of their elimination – and they must find the inner strength to face their opponents as if it was a Champions League game.

Their other option is to concentrate solely on the domestic league, with City so far enjoying a five-point lead over their Manchester rivals. They will also be meeting each other in the third round of the FA Cup in January. But a victory there will be of little consolation to two clubs whose ambitions were to conquer Europe.