BBC Home

Explore the BBC

New visitors: Create your membership
Returning members: Sign in

322 comments

user rating: 4 star

Champions Man Utd fuelled by fate

European Football Manchester United
comment on the article

Manchester United's mission to reclaim the Champions League was fuelled by fate and a sense of destiny 50 years on from the Munich air disaster.

The events of 6 February 1958 provided the backdrop to a campaign that ended with the fitting drama of a penalty shoot-out victory as the skies opened over the Luzhniki Stadium in Russia's early hours.

United's march on Moscow gathered momentum as Sir Alex Ferguson's side showed a maturity and resilience that had undermined previous attempts to land the trophy they last won in 1999.

And the sense that this was always going to be United's year was strengthened as good fortune stayed by their side in a wonderful final against a Chelsea side that also contributed richly to this top-class advert for the Premier League.

It seemed United would not need to call on Lady Luck as they dazzled in the first 45 minutes, stretching Chelsea and carving out a succession of chances.

But Avram Grant's side never hide from any challenge, and United were hanging on at times after the break, benefitting as Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba struck the woodwork as Chelsea went in search of a winner.

England's top two sides fought out a compelling encounter that was settled on small details and a pitch that had dominated so much of the pre-match build-up.

John Terry slipped on the rain-sodden turf as he went to make contact with a penalty that could have taken the Champions League trophy to Stamford Bridge.

It struck the post and in that single moment the force was back with United.

There was irony in the fact that Cristiano Ronaldo was United's only failure in the shoot-out, stopping and starting in a fashion that betrayed his quality before seeing a desperately poor penalty saved by Petr Cech.

This was because Ronaldo's display made a nonsense of his dwindling band of critics who claim he does not deliver on the biggest stage.

Ronaldo not only headed his 42nd goal of the season, he ran Michael Essien ragged and it took Chelsea's powerhouse defender 45 minutes to gather his thoughts and even think of how he might stop the Portuguese winger.

Ferguson made short work of an inquistor who asked whether Ronaldo would leave Old Trafford this summer - and no wonder given what he and this side can achieve together.

United looked on the verge of greatness when they capped their treble-winning season of 1999 with the Champions League, and yet it took them another nine years to win it again.

It was a gaping hole in United's honours list, so can this side move on from Moscow to bring the Champions League to Old Trafford on a more regular basis?

Chelsea will rightly point to crucial moments in Wednesday's final, but over the whole tournament United have proved to be the best side in Europe.

And the foundations put in place by Ferguson, along with the evidence of their performances this season, suggest it will not be another nine years before United record their fourth triumph.

Ferguson has fused the experience of Rio Ferdinand, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs on to world-class young players such as Ronaldo, Carlos Tevez and Wayne Rooney.

He will undoubtedly spend again in the summer, with the trademark of any great manager being his ability to add quality from a position of strength.

And with the Premier League title and the Champions League their haul for this season, United have rarely looked stronger in the Ferguson era.

comment on this article | send to a friend

Latest 10 comments

view all 322 comments

Read members' comments or add your own
comment by Hilary_Briss (U6844460)

posted May 23, 2008

"Well it did, it bought United the champions league."

You spelt it wrong, it's earned.

United have earned the money they spend....they can't make a colossal loss every year like Chelsea whilst being able to dwarf the likes of Milan and Madrid in the transfer market.

add comment | complain about this comment

comment by atillakurt (U2232329)

posted May 23, 2008

unlucky chelsea, another disappointing season!!
there's always next year!!
come on united!!! champions!!!

add comment | complain about this comment

comment by longwayfromtooting (U3612407)

posted May 23, 2008

all good points you make about the rules...can you add some insight as to why nothing was called when rio almost took off joe coles face with his boot on the edge or maybe in the area?? I think the lines man even flaged it, but was ignored. I know sounds like sour grapes..it is..we lost, you won. but let me still rant a bit

add comment | complain about this comment

comment by MelanieTheBlue (U12052916)

posted May 23, 2008

Ooooh, I just knew a Liverpool fan would appear on here at some point babbling on about "history" and all that malarkey. Do you people ever get bored of being so ferociously smug about a bunch of stuff that in most cases happened a long time before you were even born? Man Utd won the treble in 1999 but actually the supporters don't bang on about it - they're more interested in what their team is doing today. I guess Liverpool fans have to fixate on their frankly jammy win in Istanbul (if the referee decision had gone against the goal that wasn't and it had been Chelsea in the final there is no way they would have ended up 3-0 down!) because what they have is a team completely carried by one or two players with no chance of winning anything!

Man Utd were fantastic adversaries and the game was electric - if it had been Liverpool against Chelsea they would have won in some annoying jammy way and would never have been half as entertaining and would have proceeded to harp on about it for all eternity. Nobody wants that!

add comment | complain about this comment

comment by Hilary_Briss (U6844460)

posted May 23, 2008

"all good points you make about the rules...can you add some insight as to why nothing was called when rio almost took off joe coles face with his boot on the edge or maybe in the area?? I think the lines man even flaged it, but was ignored. I know sounds like sour grapes..it is..we lost, you won. but let me still rant a bit"

I think the linesman put his flag down quickly, to allow play to go on...not sure though.

add comment | complain about this comment

comment by Ham-mock (U12042795)

posted May 23, 2008

Can we just let this rest. Man united won. that is is that. And yes it was a seriously close game, but the fact is the better team won

add comment | complain about this comment

comment by Ham-mock (U12042795)

posted May 23, 2008

Excuse me?? Man utd were lucky to win this?? Dont make me laugh. So are you saying that the broken, crying man that was 'the god' Terry missed that pen on purpose?? Some how I think he just slipped and Anelka had a pen saved, just like Rocket Ronaldo...except Anelka's pen meant we won the game. We battered you the first half and should have killed the game off, the seriously flukey goal lifted Chelsea and granted you had the majority of the play in the second half, but we came back and created more chances...the best team won it, fully deserved over the whole competition, we didnt lose, had the top scorer and conceded the least goals...im sorry to Chelsea fans but you cant say we didnt deserve this...what made it all the sweeter was terry missing the pen in his 'crowning moment', serves him right for being an arrogant thug...how Chelsea got away with so little cards is a miracle...but hey, man utd deserved to win it! MAN U 4 EVA

add comment | complain about this comment

comment by mrscutch (U12066699)

posted May 24, 2008

Manchster United were lucky? I don't think so. Chelsea fans need to build a bridge and get over it! Manchester United are champions by virtue of talent. They don't spend 600 million only to end up with nothing!
Chelsea fans need to realise that John Terry slipped AFTER he hit the ball so he missed the penalty anyway! LOL
If Chelsea are so much better than us then why have they not won one thing this season? Because when it matters, Manchester United have grit, bravery and talent.
We deserved the win and everyone who isn't a Chelsea fan, knows it. :D
MANCHESTER UNITED 2008, EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS AND 2008 PREMIERSHIP WINNERS.

add comment | complain about this comment

comment by manutdreds109 (U11774677)

posted May 30, 2008

there was some luck in the final

but overall man utd deserved it.
chelsea only got as far as they did in the league and cups b/c the spotlight and media pressure were on both manutd and arsenal.

add comment | complain about this comment

comment by tiny-arsenal-4-life (U12076081)

posted Jun 7, 2008

why is c.ronaldo living why man u are going to lose everything

add comment | complain about this comment

view all 322 comments | back to the top

Comment on this article

Sorry, you can only contribute to 606 during opening hours. These are 0900-2300 UK time, seven days a week, but may vary to accommodate sporting events and UK public holidays.

RATE THIS ARTICLE

Rate Breakdown

  • 5 64.20%
    52 votes
  • 4 7.41%
    6 votes
  • 3 1.23%
    1 votes
  • 2 1.23%
    1 votes
  • 1 25.93%
    21 votes

average rating:
3.83 from 81 votes

Sign in if you want to vote

RELATED BBC LINKS

BBC Local
More on this team at the BBC website for Manchester