Ferguson Puts Foward United's Claim To Glory

Two years is a relatively long time in the career of a professional footballer and that is how long Manchester United have waited to enact revenge on Barcelona and put to bed the memories that have haunted them since they tasted defeat in the Champions League final in May 2009.

It was a game that saw Barcelona outplay the Red Devils, their slick passing and movement making United look like comparative schoolboys in Rome's Stadio Olimpico. The English side never turned up, not aside from the opening exchanges when their former defender Gerard Pique made a crucial block from Ji-Sung Park early on. From then on it was one way football, the triangles that Barca produced baffled United who, without the tireless work of the suspended Darren Fletcher in midfield, failed to cope with the skillful beauty of their opponents game.

But that was the past and it is time for United to live in the now, when Saturday evening comes there should be no thoughts of what has been, just picture the glory and do your utmost to claim it. There is no time to listen to the never ending string of public lauding that follows Barcelona round like the sweetest of fragrances. A single set of ninety minutes is all it takes to win a one-off game that could define the careers of this squad, not only to win the Champions League but to to do it against a team of such undoubted quality would be a memory to savour.

Let's not count out United, though, as they face the might of the Catalonian's. It may not have been classic United this season, they haven't been at their flowing best, but yet there is a spirit in the camp that has seen them fight until the end and the number of goals they have put past their opposition in the dying seconds has underlined this fact. Four players have netted goals in double figures with just Dimitar Berbatov scoring over twenty, and even then he only did so by one. In Europe the Reds have been uncharitable to opposition, leaking just four goals over the course of their twelve ties thus far, all of which have come at Old Trafford, while scoring eighteen. That includes eleven in the knockout rounds, most notably in the semi-final with Schalke where they scored six over the course of two legs.

Sir Alex Ferguson described Saturday's match as possibly 'the best final of the decade'. The long serving Manchester United manager was speaking at his final press conference before the big game when he spoke about the magnitude the match could leave in it's wake.

"The attraction of two great teams with great history is obvious. It’s an appealing final in terms of what could happen in this game.

"Anything could happen. There could be a lot of goals, a lot of excitement. Hopefully it turns out that way.

"I don’t think anyone can question the attacking players that will be on view tomorrow."

 

Indeed, if United are to stop Barca they will have to cope with the competitions top scorer in Lionel Messi. The breathtaking Argentinian has scored eleven in twelve European appearances alone, his 42 in all other competitions over the course of a showcase season have gone to prove that he deserves the title of 'World Footballer of the Year'. But Ferguson is also confident that the qualities in his side can help them claim the clubs fourth European cup.

 

"We have players who will all like this stage. In terms of Rooney's progress in Europe, he is much more mature than he was in 2009, and others too. The experience of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic is [also] vital.

"Our experience, and our progress in Europe this season, gives us a good chance."

Stood just metres along the touchline from Ferguson will be one of the games hottest young managers in Pep Guardiola, and he was complimentary on the way the Spaniard has developed an already machine-like footballing outfit into the team they are today. Tinkering with Frank Rijkaard's style by progressing the defensive system, playing with a high defensive line and pressing in numbers across the pitch, Guardiola also focussed on keeping hold of the ball across the pitch, developing what is now known as 'tiki taka' football, strings of short passes mixed with sharp, incisive movement that has made them a feared force worldwide.

"I think that the most revealing thing about Pep Guardiola is that for a young coach who came to the club and in many ways [he has] changed the way they played.

"I think we all recognise that he’s brought maturity to the team from beating us in Rome to the present day. You see that maturity and also he’s changed the way that they press the ball, which has been very impressive in the last year in particular, so for a young coach who's done fantastically well, he has a good presence about him.

"He’s played for Barcelona which helps and if you look at the past history of Barcelona’s Dutch coaches, he’s made a big step forward for Spanish coaches."

 

The Scot also insisted that he wasn't out for revenge for what happened in Rome, choosing instead to talk about how his sides preparations will make the difference this time around.
 

"We are very focused this time and our preparation has been better. We maybe made one or two mistakes last time, but not this time. We were disappointed we lost the game but it isn't a matter of revenge, it is about our own personal pride.
 
"We did most of the work before the Blackpool game [last Sunday] and winning the league the previous week helped us that way.
 
"The players have to trust themselves and trust each other because I trust them. I know they'll do the job right.

"This team has unity and our record in Europe this year is good. We're used to playing in Europe, we have that experience and we're pleased with what we've achieved this year in Europe."

 
And so it is with an air of trepidation that many fans of Manchester United will walk up Wembley Way, late on Saturday afternoon, but that seems not to have affected Sir Alex Ferguson's confidence in his own sides chance to take the European crown.