Champions League Round Of 16: Robin Van Persie Critical Of Manchester United Teammates Following Opening Leg Loss To Olympiakos

Despite struggling throughout the current Barclays Premier League season, defending English League champion Manchester United felt confident about their chances of succeeding in the UEFA Champions League. Heading into a Round of 16 first leg showdown against Olympiakos, first-year Red Devils manager David Moyes was hopeful that his side would be able to mirror the success Liverpool had in 2005 after The Reds claimed the competitive UCL title in a year where they struggled mightily in the Premier League. Speaking to reporters prior to the opening leg, the former Everton boss said his team holds more ability then they’re given credit for and should not be taken lightly.

“It isn't always the best teams that get to the final in Europe,” he said. “Liverpool in 2005 gives us hope, but in any cup competition you always have a chance. I knew it was going to be a hard competition before it started. Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Real Madrid and PSG are all top clubs.” Following a grueling 2-0 loss to their Greek opponents however, Moyes and company will now be forced to rebound in front of an agitated fan base at Old Trafford on March 19. The loss certainly came as an unexpected blow and after the contest, Moyes took full responsibility for the opening leg shortcomings.

“It's the worst we've played in Europe, that's for sure,” he said. “A really poor performance tonight. We never got going from the start and we didn't deserve anything because of the way we played tonight. I take responsibility, it's my team and I'll always front it up. We didn't play well tonight and we have to play better. We can do. The one good thing is that there is the second game to go. The players are hurting as well. They know how they performed. But there is a team here, that won't change, and we'll stick together. There is the second game to come and Old Trafford has seen some great nights in the past -- I'm looking forward to hopefully seeing another one.”

If the loss wasn’t enough to leave Manchester United players and team officials feeling down, postgame words from star scorer Robin van Persie may have been enough to sour the mood even more. Upset with the way his team has played this season -- especially in Tuesday’s loss to Olympiakos -- the Netherlands National team star said he’s not able to help on the offensive end because various teammates clog up the spaces he usually controls while possessing the ball, accusations that certainly won’t sit well at Old Trafford.

“My teammates are sometimes occupying the spaces I want to play in," he said. "And when I see that it makes it difficult for me to come to those spaces as well. So that forces me to adjust my runs, based on the position of my fellow players. And unfortunately, they're often playing in my zones. I think that's a shame. Sometimes we play well, but not all the time. We don't have luck on our side. It's easy to point the finger at someone, but I'm not like that. We have to do better ourselves.”

United currently sits sixth in the 20-team Premier League, 11 points shy of fourth place Liverpool. Still in the running for a top 4 spot -- which would give the defending champions a bid into the 2014-2015 UEFA Champions League tournament -- the Red Devils hope to rebound from a tough loss to Olympiakos when they reenter Premier League play on March 8 against West Bromwich Albion.