Rome dream ended in ruins...

The euphoria of UEFA Champions' League 2009 Final at Rome, Italy for Man Utd started off well with the possibility of Sir Alex Ferguson's men being able to create a great piece of history in this competition. No team has able to defend the cup since it was rebranded in 1992/93. Imagine, every year since 1993 till now, for the past 15 years, we have a new team winning it every year! Starting with Marseille in 1993, AC Milan, Ajax, Juventus, Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid, Man Utd, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Porto, Liverfool, Barcelona, AC Milan, Man Utd in sequence.

Ferguson said before the game "This is our time, take chance to join the greats". The team hired a famous suits designer to design specially the suits that all players will wear for the final, and they boarded the plane confidently to Rome...

Nice suits for the Final

As soon as the final whistle were blown at the end of the final on 27 May 2009 at Rome, dejected looks appeared on Ferguson and all MU players . These looks are very familiar to me... and bring back all the memories of the disappointments since after the 1999 Treble season. The disappointment in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 are so vivid and clear in my mind where i can never forget how each failure happened. This defeat will surely add to the list above.

Ferguson's men were simply outclassed and outfought by an amazing Barcelona team's attack leaded by Xavi, Ineista, Eto, Messi and Henry. Goals by Eto and Messi handed MU a 2-0 defeat, and the score could have been worse if not because of all the saves Van der Saar made. Did Ferguson use the wrong tactic for the game which lead to such massacre? The horrible and low-class display by the MU team are just simply not acceptable to all MU fans around the world. We are supposed to be the reigning European Champion and World Clubs' Cup champion, but do we look like one on this night?

There was not anyone in the MU's starting first 11 who can drag the team back from the setback of conceding an early goal through Barcelona's 1st attack in the game on 10th minute. No one can act as a leader like what we used to have, such as Eric Cantona, Bryan Robson, Steve Bruce or Roy Keane. No players able to find their feet on the pitch. Rooney was lost playing the left of midfield, Park lost playing on the right, Anderson lost playing in the middle, Giggs didn't contribute anything in the midfield, Ronaldo too busy trying to show that he is better than Messi, and Carrick had just too much space to cover in midfield due to others not performing. Defence-wise, Ferdinand and Vidic look like having serious weakness by easily being turned/wrong-footed by Barca attackers, Evra not in the game at all, but at least John O Shea was coping quite well surprisingly. We don't look like able to win the game at all.

Although i was not particularly sad after the game, and in fact, throughout the game i wasn't that emotional or angry, because from the very deep bottom of my heart, i already know that this performance for sure is not good enough to be European champion again... I consoled myself by telling myself that probably there is blessing in disguise in the humiliating defeat, as the manager will know that he needs to refresh the team a bit for coming season, if he wants to continue pursuing his dream of pushing Man Utd to be among the pantheon of elites clubs which have won this competition for more than 3 times such as Real Madrid (9 times), AC Milan (7 times), Bayern Munich & Ajax (4 times).

Ferguson, Rooney, Ronaldo, Carrick, Giggs and Ferdinand all said after the match that the best won tonight, and Ferguson said they will come back stronger next season. I do hope what Ferguson said it's true, and he can continue to defy the odds as usual, although today he just can't create this piece of history...

Can we do it again in 2009?

5th May 2008:

Every Man Utd fan today will be surprised to see their team's comprehensive victory over the 2 legs against arch-rival Arsenal in the semi-final of UEFA Champions' League 2009. Followed by the marginal 1-0 win from Old Trafford from last week, MU won 3-1 at Emirates today! It was a classic MU performance, with lots of superb counter attacking play. Park Ji Sung scored the 1st goal in the 8th minute, followed by Ronaldo thunderbolt freekick in 11th minute, and one classic counter attack move on the 61th minute produced the 3rd goal by Ronaldo.

Park celebrating the 1st goal

Ronaldo celebrating 2nd goal

Ronaldo with the 3rd goal

MU has not been playing well throughout this season, as far as i can remember by watching them playing every game this season. They have been facing problem in scoring goals since the start of the season, finding the right combination of midfield players, inconsistency by key players at key matches (like the thrashings by liverfool and fulham in the league recently), and scrapping through matches with 1-0 small wins.

I myself was very doubtful of whether they can make the final. After all, last season was just a miracle when they got past Barca in the semi. Since the treble win in 1999, disappointments at the hand of Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Bayern Leverkusen, AC Milan, Porto were just too bitter to swallow, and i can remember the sad moments each time after those matches. I was quite calm with today's victory, prefer not to put too high hope of them defending the crown at Rome on this coming 27 May 2009. Can they do it? I don't know... although in the very very bottom of my heart, i do hope they can. Opponent may be Barcelona who possesses the best attacking in the world now leaded by amazing player Lionel Messi. Ferguson always says that he regretted that his luck has not been much better in this competition... elite clubs like AC Milan, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich have won it 5 times at least, yet MU only won a pathetic 3 times... i hope Ferguson can bring MU a step closer to that statue of these clubs when 27 May comes at Rome...

I shall hope for the best :), pray for MU victory, pray for Ferguson to create another milestone in MU's history....