Manchester United and Club Brugge are looking to return to the group stages of the Champions League this season, and have moved one step closer to making it there with a 3-1 first leg win over Club Brugge at Old Trafford on Tuesday in their Playoff qualification game.
Under the direction of manager Louis van Gaal, United are hoping to bounce back after not making it to the Champions League last season, following a seventh-place finish at the English Premier League the season before.
Van Gaal led the club to a fourth-place finish in the Premier League in 2014 and now has an excellent chance of returning to Champions League group stage play, although he admitted in a news conference that there is still pressure.
Van Gaal has shown respect to Club Brugge, saying that the Belgian club can both defend and attack.
"That is why the pressure is high and all the players and the fans and the board of the club want to participate in the Champions League but first you have to beat Club Brugge," he added.
United carried a lot of momentum heading into the match after winning their first two Premier League games against Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa to start the new season.
Meanwhile, Club Brugge have not made it to the group stage of the Champions League since the 2005–06 season.
Brugge's unimpressive record against English clubs has continued so far though, as they have now 10 defeats and two draws in 12 total matches.
Brugge defeated Panathinaikos to earn a play-off match (their first ever) against Manchester United, and have one last chance to overturn United and win through on Wednesday night in the second leg.
