In the depths of Hell, Andre Onana stands as the most damned

"Welcome to Hell," proclaimed a colossal banner adorning Galatasaray's Rams Park on Wednesday night. The ferocious gusts of wind in Istanbul whipped up the Bosphorus Strait, causing it to overflow its confines, while relentless rain pummeled the Turkish capital for over 24 hours, transforming the streets into rushing rivers and the football pitch into a waterlogged quagmire. 

Yet, the downpour failed to extinguish the blazing inferno of Hell. As the rain finally relented and the lightning ceased its electrifying dance overhead, Manchester United's worst nightmare was just beginning to take shape.

Erik ten Hag's side did deliver three sublime goals in a stadium notorious for its intimidating aura, but the tides turned when their hapless goalkeeper Andre Onana committed two dreadful blunders that allowed Galatasaray to mount impressive comebacks from two-goal deficits. The match concluded with a hard-fought 3-3 draw, leaving United languishing at the bottom of Group A with just one game left to play. 

Their hopes of progressing to the knockout stages of the Champions League now hang precariously by a fraying thread. The subsequent draw between Bayern Munich and Copenhagen later in the evening means United's aspirations of qualification hinge on a daunting task: defeating the formidable German champions in two weeks' time, while simultaneously hoping for Galatasaray to settle for a draw against the Danish side. Alas, the destiny of their campaign now lies beyond their control.

Throughout this unpredictable group-stage journey, United have struggled to maintain control or display any semblance of consistency. Their performances have left much to be desired, and they will undoubtedly reflect with a tinge of searing repentant at the 4-3 loss to Bayern, the 3-2 defeat against Galatasaray in Manchester, the dramatic 4-3 setback in Copenhagen, and the exhilarating rollercoaster in Istanbul.

With a staggering total of 14 goals conceded in their five Champions League matches this season, they find themselves among the unfortunate few. Only Belgian minnows Royal Antwerp, who have suffered defeat in every group-stage match, have conceded more goals. It is a perplexing reality that football behemoth as talented as United could score nine goals in three European away games and yet fail to secure a single victory. 

It's a great shame that United came agonizingly close to securing a morale-boosting victory on Wednesday. They came as close as one can get to silencing the roaring Rams Park, courtesy of early goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Bruno Fernandes. However, just when it seemed like United had done enough to seal the win, their own goalkeeper, Onana, emerged as the haunting figure.

Onana's poor positioning allowed Hakim Ziyech's seemingly routine free-kick to sneak past him just before half-time. To compound matters, Onana's inexplicable attempt to deal with another Ziyech free-kick in the second half resulted in him inadvertently helping the ball into the net, igniting Galatasaray's comeback. Though Scott McTominay restored United's lead, the keeper's errors provided the spark for substitute Kerem Akturkoglu's equalizer, leaving United with a bitter taste of what could have been.

Onana's arrival in England was accompanied by a hefty transfer fee and a formidable reputation, earned through his exceptional performances during Inter Milan's remarkable journey to the Champions League final last season. However, the 27-year-old has struggled to live up to the lofty expectations and justify the significant investment made in him. Regrettably, his recent display against Galatasaray marked his most disappointing performance thus far. 

According to stats provider Opta, since the 2018-19 season, Onana has been responsible for the highest number of errors leading to opposition goals among goalkeepers in the Champions League, with a total of seven costly mistakes. 

A team as fragile as Manchester United cannot afford to have a goalkeeper who proves to be a liability. Regardless of Erik ten Hag's perspective on the matter, it is evident that Onana's contributions, particularly with his significant mistakes in crucial moments, have had a detrimental impact on the team. It is telling that, at the conclusion of the match, not a single outfield player from the Red Devils went over to offer consolation to Onana. This gesture, or rather the lack thereof, speaks volumes about his current situation.

Apart from the "Welcome to Hell," banner, another conspicuous sign caught the eye, emblazoned with striking red letters, "Your nightmare is back again." This bold message served as a poignant reminder of the infamous encounter between these two teams at the same venue in 1993. That ill-fated match witnessed Eric Cantona's self-destruction and subsequently led to United's elimination from European competition. For Onana, this sign must have felt like an eerie prophecy coming to fruition.