The world waited with bated breath as Manchester United and Barcelona were to clash in the final of the UEFA Champions League on May 27, 2009 at the Stadio Olimpico, who most considered to be a ‘home’ game for the ‘blaugrana’.
Almost twenty thousand Barca fans stormed the stadium, and with the final result of two to nothing going in their favor, it seemed surprising that Manchester United played the game in such a coy manner.
This final is what most people considered to be a ‘dream game’ with both sides at the peak of their game. Every fan of both Barca and Manchester United wanted a game to remember but it wasn’t to be…
The Red Devils have always been a formidable team, for so long now that it’s almost hard to remember a time when they weren’t. And to me Alex Ferguson… ahem… Sir Alex Ferguson is the key.
Ever since he took over the responsibility in the dying months of the year of 1986, it’s been a calm and collected rise to the top where it has been ever since the time Eric Cantona (also known as Eric the King amongst Manchester United supporters) led a team of players from the ‘youth’ team that would change the game forever.
Players like David Beckham, Gary Neville, Nicky Butt, Phil Neville and Paul Scholes who turned out to be stars in the coming years, and with the return of Eric Cantona (who was suspended because he kicked a Crystal Palace supporter Matthew Simmons after being racially abused), United became the first English club to have won the double (the English Premier League and the FA Cup in the same year) twice, a feat that would be nicknamed the "Double Double".
And things have gone downhill for Sir Alex Ferguson ever since, despite the changes that football teams and players are used to.
It’s common knowledge that Manchester F.C won the Premiership title for the season of 2008/09 and reached the finals of the UEFA Cup with ease (watching the UEFA semi-final 2008/09 against Arsenal will tell you why).
Here’s the video of the UEFA semi-final against Arsenal: {youtube}l0nE4bDl4V8{/youtube}
In watching the video, you’ll know the key players of Manchester United are. For one Cristiano Ronaldo who has just been sold for a record $80 million to Real Madrid for the coming season of 2009/10 and the youngest ever player for England, Wayne Rooney. Ji-sung Park is another key player, being the only Asian to play and win a UEFA Champions League final.
Ryan Giggs (the only player to score in every Premier League season), Rio Ferdinand and Paul Scholes (the Manchester United faithfuls) have been playing their part ever since the days of the ‘Double Double’.
With Carlos Teves and Cristiano Ronaldo now having left the club, Sir Alex Ferguson has signed on Michael Owen from Newcastle and Antonio Valencia from Wigan Athletic for the upcoming season of 2009/10.
Last but not the least, Van De Saar, the goalkeeper is also another player (remembered for his historic save of Nicholas Anelka’s penalty kick in Moscow) that is a force to be reckoned with, did not concede for almost 1300 minutes of game play.
One must wonder with the big guns now having left the club for greener pastures, as to how they will fare in the Premiership and the UEFA Champions League matches, but knowing that Sir Alex Ferguson is and always has been one step ahead of the game, will certainly have a few tricks up his sleeve.
