BESIKTAS v MANCHESTER UNITED
Sir Alex Ferguson won't accept a repeat of Barcelona horror show
ALEX FERGUSON is gearing up for a Champions League revenge mission this season, and Euro champs Barcelona are firmly in his sights.
His Manchester United side may be starting their European odyssey with a tricky trip to Turkish side Besiktas on Tuesday, but it's Pep Guardiola's all-conquering Barca that Fergie is desperate to get to grips with.
Sir Alex wants to put right the failings he believes were there in the way his United side approached their 2-0 final defeat by Barcelona in Rome last May. And he is determined to prove Guardiola's much vaunted side are no better than his own Reds team.
Ferguson point blank refuses to discuss the mistakes he feels derailed United's chances of landing back-to-back Champions League titles.
Dossier
But you can bet your bottom dollar the meticulous Scot already has a dossier full of changes he plans to make if the Reds can set up another irresistible match-up with the Spanish champions in this year's final.
Ferguson spent a chunk of his summer reviewing every aspect of the build-up to that painful night in Rome and is ready to set the record straight this time round.
He said: "I would love another final with Barcelona, absolutely. I quite like those games! It would not be a problem for us, not a problem.
"That game was the first European final I have lost so it was disappointing for us and everybody at the club. But we have looked at the game again. You can look at these things and you can look at reasons and excuses and it's always better to look at the reasons. They are quite clear in what they are.
"If they are good reasons you can put that to the back of your mind and go away and live your life. If there were no reasons at all then we would be worried but I think there were valid reasons so we will move on.
"What were those reasons? I don't want to go into it.
"But I did take the DVD on holiday and watched it and went through everything and it made me feel more honest about the whole build-up and everything.
Hotel
"Did we have the right hotel? Things like this. The training, everything. We looked at all of it so I am quite clear about where we are and where we go.
"I think the problems can be put right and they certainly will be put right. I think now you have to move on though. I'm old enough in this game to know you can't win them all and you just have to accept that these things come along and you move on from that.''
United will move on, but are planning another season of domination if Ferguson has anything to do with it. He is already eyeing a record fourth consecutive Premier League title but another Champions League triumph is higher on his wishlist. Ferguson added: "Yes, it is a great tournament. It is the best tournament now.
"All the best teams and all the best players are there. The problem is that the Premier League is such a tribal thing that you have to win that, you know. So there are two challenges for us, the Premier League and the Champions League, definitely.''
This article has 13 comments
Am a Man utd fan from childhood to date.I cried for every match the team loss, simply because the club is attached to my heart.But some defeat pains than others;notably the one against AC Milan, in the one nil doubler and three nil thumping,the 4-1 by Liverpool, the 3-4 by Real Madrid and most recent by FC Barcelona. Also the Arsenal doubler 2007/2008 season. Am so desperate for revenge against these teams!! I am lot more happier about the team now,after departure that selfish Portuguese so-called 'beast'player. We can now go without being under the spot light by his influence..
By Buba Drammeh. Posted September 17 2009 at 1:45 PM.
if there's any coach in the world who can turn a bad experience into a worthwhile one...that's fergie. His passion, drive and hunger to succeed is something he always manages to pass on to his players..let's hope utd win it at least 2 more times before fergie takes a bow from football management
By ugo J. Posted September 15 2009 at 11:20 AM.
if there's any coach in the world who can turn a bad experience into a worthwhile one...that's fergie. His passion, drive and hunger to succeed is something he always manages to pass on to his players..let's hope utd win it at least 2 more times before fergie takes a bow from football management
By ugo J. Posted September 15 2009 at 11:06 AM.
I am Man united for life and honestly I support Sir Alex and the united squad. I couldn't believe what i saw in Rome and please make no mistake about it, Fergie is determined to win champions League this time around and more so not only to beat Barcelona but to Crash them. the team lost Ronny and Tevez but last time i checked Man united always come out big no matter what. surely we missed Darren fletcher in midfield who has really improved and raised his game in recent years. fletcher intimidate opposite players and if we meet Barca again, Fergie will line up fletcher, Hargreaves, Scholes and Carrick. this is the strongest midfield collection in the world and Xavi, Iniesta and so called Messi will have no chance. Lets go United!!!!
By Andrew Njuguna Njenga. Posted September 14 2009 at 2:58 AM.
ManUtd need to get Hargreaves back in shape if they are to beat a team like Barcelona.
By Tommy. Posted September 13 2009 at 2:46 PM.
united will not win champs lge this season has they have a weak midfield and its aging and fergie hasnt brought anyone in to replace the old legs teams like barca will pass them off the park and then exploit them when they cant run no more also if rooney gets injured they have no decent forwards to replace him dont think owen is the answer and berbaflop isnt the player he was at spurs has he has been found out at utd a decent season doesnt make a player
By kev roche . Posted September 13 2009 at 12:54 PM.
Another UCL final, with Fletcher & Scholes in CM, Nani and Hargreaves out wide, and Barcelona won't stand a chance. No one wanted to challenge Barcelona for the ball in midfield, that's why Xavi & Iniesta stole the show.. A hardworking, disciplined 442 will do the trick this time round..
In Fergie I Trust!!
BRING ON THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE!!
By OZB. Posted September 13 2009 at 12:47 PM.
Sir Alex wants to put right the failings he believes were there in the way his United side approached their 2-1 final defeat by Barcelona in Rome last May.
guys it was 2-0 - we didn't score...
By sam. Posted September 13 2009 at 11:33 AM.
Sean in any game, you do need that stroke of luck.
By Penelope. Posted September 13 2009 at 11:28 AM.
fergie was hopelessly outclassed in teh final. Just like he was against Chelsea and Munich....He got lucky in the other 2. United fans know it
By Sean. Posted September 13 2009 at 10:50 AM.
real madrid in the semis barcelona in the final now that would be sweet.
By nick. Posted September 13 2009 at 10:21 AM.
Am a united fan forever and ever i persnonally think manu is the best team in the world,despite loosing valuable players but will still move on and carry the tradition of winning.Champions league here we come!!
By Suleiman. Posted September 13 2009 at 8:36 AM.
i've a massive manchester united fan and was deeply saddened by the display in the rome final display apart from the first 10 mins where we should have scored a couple especially ji sung park. I was quite confident before the final as barcelona had half their defence missing being injured and suspended and was quitely confident of beating barcelona as we have a good record in the past beating them in the semis in 2008 and getting past them in the group stages in the teble winning season.
i personally would not like to face barcelona in the final. i would love to face real madrid and to beat them in their back hard in the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium and to see ronalds face when man united lift the champions league. i hate real madrid with a passion. manchester united have a bigger fan base i think top players only go to spain because of the weather and the taxes. la liga is a two team mickey mouse league apart from barcelona real madrid every other tea,m is average at best!
By richard price. Posted September 13 2009 at 2:31 AM.