The seconds after the final whistle, rather than the 96 minutes played in the Allianz Arena, showed the cracks between Manchester United’s outfield players and their $56 million star signing of the summer, goalkeeper André Onana.

While most United players quickly strove off the pitch after the 4-3 defeat in Munich, Bayern’s Matthijs de Ligt, still wearing his warm-up kit, sprinted the other way. The Dutch defender, who had not seen a minute of game time, ran about 70 yards from Bayern’s bench towards his opponents’ goal, where the inconsolable Onana was seemingly lost in his own thoughts, alone, reflecting on his performance with slumped shoulders.

After the final whistle, it was Bayern’s De Ligt who first put his arms around Onana, talked to the ManUnited goalkeeper behind the cover of his own hand, then hugged his visibly downtrodden opponent.

Leroy Sané had fired from outside the penalty area at United’s goal in the 28th minute. The Bayern winger made a mediocre effort and was too low and centre to trouble a goalie in the Champions League. Sané’s low ball, though, landed awkwardly in front of Onana. When the goalkeeper’s gloves reached the ball as he was ready to retrieve it, it strangely bounced around him and into the goal. Bayern now leads 1-0. Mostly because of the unfortunate shot-stopper for United.

United won 3-4, but none of the other three Bayern goals he allowed will linger in Onana’s mind the same way the first one did, which had a regrettable slapstick element to it. When Serge Gnabry scored Bayern’s second goal a few minutes later, United’s goalkeeper Onana slumped to the ground with his back against the goalpost and remained there in obvious despair.

Casemiro first Man United player to approach Onana

About a minute after de Ligt’s apparent pep talk, Casemiro was the first man in a black and white uniform to jog over and address his goalkeeper. (and shake de Ligt’s hand.) Of course, Casemiro, 31, understands the subtleties of team chemistry in the Champions League, having won the trophy five times with Real Madrid.

Later, Noussair Mazraoui, another former Ajax teammate who sat on Bayern’s bench throughout, also embraced Onana.

A few minutes later, his captain, Bruno Fernandes, verbally defended his goalkeeper in the same spot.

“Guys, not about André … André [Onana] is a great goalkeeper,” Fernandes told a group of mostly British journalists. “He will keep giving us a lot of points, a lot of saves. He does not have to take any blame for anything. We have to take the blame as a team. We will go through this moment together because we are strong as a team.”

Fernandes and Onana will have another chance to prove how strong their team is on Saturday, when they travel to Burnley on matchday six of the PremierPINC -1% League.