SIR Alex Ferguson has promised United will return better than ever after losing their Champions League crown to Barcelona.
Goals from Samuel Eto’o and Lionel Messi ensured no team has successfully defended the trophy in the Champions League era – but Fergie insisted his players would be all the better next year because of the disappointment.
“You learn from defeat,” he said. “That’s the great thing. In adversity you move forward quicker. It is a disappointment, but we are still a young team and can improve from that.”
The United manager was magnanimous in defeat, after seeing his side fail to recover from going 1-0 down after just 10 minutes.
The reigning champions had started brightly with Cristiano Ronaldo twice coming close, while Gerard Pique produced a brilliant block to deny Ji-Sung Park in the opening minutes.
Messi’s 70th minute header killed off any hopes of a fight back, but United had rarely looked like getting back into the game even before that.
“I think the first goal was a killer,” said Ferguson. "It was their first attack and a bad start for us. We had started brightly and very confident, but we got nervous after that.
“We knew if they got a goal they could keep the ball all night. We had plenty of time and some half chances in the second half when we should have done better when crossing.
“But in fairness we were beaten by the better team. We weren’t at our best. After the first goal it was very difficult for us."
Later Fergie criticised the defending and added: “In our best performances this season we have defended very well, but the defending tonight was shoddy.
“The first goal didn’t help. It gave them the opportunity to keep possession. We didn’t plan to lose a goal early and we didn’t deal with it well enough. That was the story. To lose a goal like that was a bad goal. It was a disappointing performance and some individuals will feel it themselves.”
Ferguson claimed he was not surprised with the way Barcelona approached the game, even when they swapped Messi from a wide position up front into midfield.
And he put the blame for the loss squarely on his own players.
Possession
Ferguson said: “The disappointment was the use of the ball when we got possession. You have to wait minutes to get it back off them. Could be it was an off night. Could be it was a mountain too big to climb.
“We knew what a good football team they were. We had difficulty in defending against them. Messi dropped into midfield and they kept possession and made it difficult for us.”
Ronaldo collected a yellow card for a foul on Carles Puyol and it was a disappointing match for the United winger who went close with a couple of long-range shots but too often let his exasperation get the better of him.
Ferguson also admitted United missed the protective presence of Darren Fletcher in midfield who was suspended after being sent off harshly against Arsenal in the semi-final.
“He is one big-game player,” said Ferguson. “It was a loss but they had losses also. And it is difficult to measure how big a loss it was.
“We’ve done well to get to the final, but we had to win it. It was a big opportunity for us. With the players we have we expected better, but losing the first goal was decisive for us. We couldn’t recover from that.”
Ferguson, however, was generous in his praise of Barcelona and their manager, Pep Guardiola, who also won the Champions League as a player with Barcelona.
“You have to give credit to a very good Barcelona team,” said Ferguson. “If they get in front of you they are very difficult to beat. They kept possession of the ball and made it very difficult to get back.
“When we did get possession we didn’t do well with it. Credit to them, the better team won.”
On Guardiola, who has guided Barcelona to a treble of league title, domestic Cup and Champions League, he added: “It is a great achievement as a coach in his first year. Well done. Fantastic. Everybody enjoys their football and it is great credit to him.”
source : manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Goals from Samuel Eto’o and Lionel Messi ensured no team has successfully defended the trophy in the Champions League era – but Fergie insisted his players would be all the better next year because of the disappointment.
“You learn from defeat,” he said. “That’s the great thing. In adversity you move forward quicker. It is a disappointment, but we are still a young team and can improve from that.”
The United manager was magnanimous in defeat, after seeing his side fail to recover from going 1-0 down after just 10 minutes.
The reigning champions had started brightly with Cristiano Ronaldo twice coming close, while Gerard Pique produced a brilliant block to deny Ji-Sung Park in the opening minutes.
Messi’s 70th minute header killed off any hopes of a fight back, but United had rarely looked like getting back into the game even before that.
“I think the first goal was a killer,” said Ferguson. "It was their first attack and a bad start for us. We had started brightly and very confident, but we got nervous after that.
“We knew if they got a goal they could keep the ball all night. We had plenty of time and some half chances in the second half when we should have done better when crossing.
“But in fairness we were beaten by the better team. We weren’t at our best. After the first goal it was very difficult for us."
Later Fergie criticised the defending and added: “In our best performances this season we have defended very well, but the defending tonight was shoddy.
“The first goal didn’t help. It gave them the opportunity to keep possession. We didn’t plan to lose a goal early and we didn’t deal with it well enough. That was the story. To lose a goal like that was a bad goal. It was a disappointing performance and some individuals will feel it themselves.”
Ferguson claimed he was not surprised with the way Barcelona approached the game, even when they swapped Messi from a wide position up front into midfield.
And he put the blame for the loss squarely on his own players.
Possession
Ferguson said: “The disappointment was the use of the ball when we got possession. You have to wait minutes to get it back off them. Could be it was an off night. Could be it was a mountain too big to climb.
“We knew what a good football team they were. We had difficulty in defending against them. Messi dropped into midfield and they kept possession and made it difficult for us.”
Ronaldo collected a yellow card for a foul on Carles Puyol and it was a disappointing match for the United winger who went close with a couple of long-range shots but too often let his exasperation get the better of him.
Ferguson also admitted United missed the protective presence of Darren Fletcher in midfield who was suspended after being sent off harshly against Arsenal in the semi-final.
“He is one big-game player,” said Ferguson. “It was a loss but they had losses also. And it is difficult to measure how big a loss it was.
“We’ve done well to get to the final, but we had to win it. It was a big opportunity for us. With the players we have we expected better, but losing the first goal was decisive for us. We couldn’t recover from that.”
Ferguson, however, was generous in his praise of Barcelona and their manager, Pep Guardiola, who also won the Champions League as a player with Barcelona.
“You have to give credit to a very good Barcelona team,” said Ferguson. “If they get in front of you they are very difficult to beat. They kept possession of the ball and made it very difficult to get back.
“When we did get possession we didn’t do well with it. Credit to them, the better team won.”
On Guardiola, who has guided Barcelona to a treble of league title, domestic Cup and Champions League, he added: “It is a great achievement as a coach in his first year. Well done. Fantastic. Everybody enjoys their football and it is great credit to him.”
source : manchestereveningnews.co.uk
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