It's Sir Alex Ferguson vs Josep Guardiola once again this Saturday as Manchester United meets Barcelona at Wembley for the UEFA Champions League final in London. The current English champions seeks to revenge its 2-0 defeat on the hands of the reigning Spanish champions in the same fixture two years ago at the Olimpico in Rome.
It was just last Sunday when Manchester United knocked Liverpool FC out of its perch as English most successful football club by winning the Barclay's English Premier League title, becoming English champions for a record 19th time. As broken hearted as I am by this -being a Reds fan all my life, it shows you how successful Sir Alex has been for the Manchester club.
Since becoming Manchester United manager in November 1986, Sir Alex Ferguson has won the club an envious 12 Premier League titles, 5 FA cups, 2 UEFA Champions League titles, and many more. I can't name anyone more successful as a football league manager for the last twenty years other than Sir Alex Ferguson. The consistency he has shown in managing a football club over the changing years, personnels, players is nothing but sheer brilliance.
 |
| Sir Alex Ferguson, photo by Gordon Flood |
The aged manager, rich of football experience is to face yet again his younger opposite number who although shy in experience as a football manager has also won many titles for Barca.
The stylish Josep "Pep" Guardiola won six trophies in 2009: the La Liga, Copa del Rey, UEFA Champions League, Supercopa de Espana, UEFA Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup on his first season as manager of Barcelona, the first football manager ever to win six competitions in one year. A mouth-watering feat indeed. With the cup winning rate that he has, one can only imagine how many he would win for Barcelona by the time he gets to Sir Alex's age. If, of course, he stays loyal with Barcelona.
So then who will it be??
It's champions vs champions in the Champions League final. That title alone is a dream come true for any sports fan. Current champions in their respective leagues, Manchester United and Barcelona each represents a nation proud of their football.
Liverpool FC was rewarded entrance to the Champions League by finishing 4th in the English Premier League. They ended up winning the famously magical final in 2005 by beating Italian champions AC Milan on penalties in Istanbul. And what a final that was. Went 3-0 down at half time, Liverpool came back to win it. I remember going crazy when Alonso scored the equalizing goal. It was a roller coaster ride of a Champions League final.
We can hope to expect more in this coming final. The practicality of Sir Alex vs the elegance of Pep Guardiola. Manchester United has been all about practical this season, winning games when it matters the most. While Barcelona has been as they are all this time, playing elegant possessing football, controlling the game to irritate opponents until they go in for the kill.
I'd bet my money for Barcelona to win it but if Sir Alex gets his tactics right this time, it's gonna be a cracking game worth your good night sleep.
I'd also want Persipura to go on to win the AFC Cup. If only PSSI has the heart to see. Dream, dream, dream.
It's champions vs champions in the Champions League final. That title alone is a dream come true for any sports fan. Current champions in their respective leagues, Manchester United and Barcelona each represents a nation proud of their football.
Liverpool FC was rewarded entrance to the Champions League by finishing 4th in the English Premier League. They ended up winning the famously magical final in 2005 by beating Italian champions AC Milan on penalties in Istanbul. And what a final that was. Went 3-0 down at half time, Liverpool came back to win it. I remember going crazy when Alonso scored the equalizing goal. It was a roller coaster ride of a Champions League final.
We can hope to expect more in this coming final. The practicality of Sir Alex vs the elegance of Pep Guardiola. Manchester United has been all about practical this season, winning games when it matters the most. While Barcelona has been as they are all this time, playing elegant possessing football, controlling the game to irritate opponents until they go in for the kill.
I'd bet my money for Barcelona to win it but if Sir Alex gets his tactics right this time, it's gonna be a cracking game worth your good night sleep.
I'd also want Persipura to go on to win the AFC Cup. If only PSSI has the heart to see. Dream, dream, dream.
"Perfection does not exist but you have to look for it anyway" - Pep Guardiola
Comments
Post a Comment