Liverpool long since departed the Champions League, unable even to emerge from their group, but the failure of England's other three big guns to reach the semi-finals rendered the regular boast that the Premier League is the best in the world a little hollow on Thursday.
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Not since 2003 has an English side failed to reach the semi-finals of the world's richest club competition.
Ferguson's United looked set to reach the semis for a fourth consecutive season on Wednesday when they went 3-0 up on the night and 4-2 ahead on aggregate against Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich only to shoot themselves in the foot.
The 50th minute sending off of Brazilian full-back Rafael was blamed by Ferguson for United's fall from grace but his angry outburst about the role Bayern's players had in the referee's decision masked the real reasons for defeat.
"I'm sure people will try to read something into it," he told reporters. "All the English teams were expected to get to the semi-finals as they have done in the last few years but I don't think it casts a shadow over the game at all.
"I still think it's the most successful league in Europe. You don't always get what you want in life and we were all suffering from the same thing."
While the quality of the sides pushing to break into the top four has improved, namely Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, there are concerns for England's elite.
