Former Real Madrid and France defender Raphael Varane has now celebrated a Manchester United milestone that head coach Michael Carrick oversaw at Old Trafford this season.
Michael Carrick’s success as interim head coach during the 2025-26 campaign translated to him earning the permanent Manchester United manager role.
The 44-year-old former Middlesbrough manager had a transformative effect on United’s entire season after his stunning return to Old Trafford back in January.
Ineos had parted ways with Ruben Amorim as the Man Utd head coach and Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s regime turned to Carrick to provide much-needed stability.
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Raphael Varane celebrates Man Utd’s return to the Champions League for the 2026-27 campaign
Manchester United legend Michael Carrick inherited a Red Devils first-team squad that was seventh in the Premier League table and took them to a third-place finish.
The Red Devils manager oversaw 12 Premier League wins from 17 matches, which was more than enough to catapult the Red Devils into a Champions League spot.
United were without European football in the 2025-26 campaign and were reduced to a 40-match season after their early exits from the FA Cup and the League Cup.
Raphael Varane took to social media and he shared his excitement at former sides Lens, Real Madrid, Como and Man Utd all securing Champions League football.
“Football has a way of creating special moments,” he wrote to his Instagram followers.
“On May 24, 2014, I won my first [Champions League] title. And this year, every club I’ve played for will be competing in Europe’s biggest competition.
“Happy to see these clubs, which have meant so much throughout my career, experience those emotions once again.
“Some stories are never forgotten.”
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All eyes are now on how Carrick will handle being in the Old Trafford hot seat on a permanent basis after he succeeded Ruben Amorim at Man Utd for the long term.
Carrick had ensured that the Red Devils would finish third in the Premier League table ahead of Man Utd’s 3-0 win over Brighton on the final day of the season.
A return to the Champions League for United includes its own lucrative incentives, not to mention more regular football for the Red Devils in the 2026-27 season.
However, the expectation is high on Ineos for their continued rebuild of the United squad in the summer to cope with the added demands of more matches.
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