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| [photo by Mick Baker] |
- by Tatiana Nahai, writing from Los Angeles, CA - @TatianaMUFC
I don’t know about you, but I had quiet confidence and optimism tucked away before the match. I believed that Sir Alex Ferguson’s masterful tactics could stop the Barcelona powerhouse. I really believed we could do it.. because Manchester United will never roll over and die. I allowed my heart to defy reason and logic because we are, afterall, the most romantic team in England. If anyone could do it, it was us. And I saw it: The defiance and will. Vidic’s brilliant tackle on Messi summed it all up for me. The only problem was we had to be perfect. And we weren’t.
The three goals were avoidable. As brilliant as Vidic and Rio were at some points, Messi and Villa should have never been given that much space. The mistake by Carrick and Nani to give possession to Villa was terrible. With all of the preparation and strategies, I couldn’t understand why United had so many basic football errors. Maybe it was because Barcelona are one of the best at putting pressure on players, but I don't think it is that simple. It was incredibly frustrating to see.
But the truth is that there was very little Manchester United could do to stop Barcelona. Arguably one of the best club sides ever assembled, Barcelona was just on a whole other level. Player-for-player, they had us beat. The domination in the midfield said it all. Giggs could do very little apart from Rooney’s assist, Carrick was overrun and made less effective, and Valencia and Park were forced to play in a deeper position in the middle, rather than freely on the wings. And in the end, the supply to Chicharito was cut off.
And what a foreign concept that is to Manchester United: to lose because we were just the weaker side. It’s not because of poor refereeing, players letting us down, or not showing up on the day. Rather, we’re just not good enough. It’s a weird, almost empty feeling. We could have done better, but could we really?
It is very likely that Barcelona will be a powerhouse for many years to come. So, we can take this defeat and look at it in two ways: We can accept the fact that Barcelona are incredible, currently a league of their own and there’s very little we can do. Or we can take on Barcelona’s challenge. Barcelona have raised the bar to incredible levels, and there’s nothing that drives Ferguson more than a raised bar. Domestically, Ferguson has already responded to a massive challenge with 19 amazing titles and a destruction of Liverpool's perch. Now, our next destination: to beat Barcelona. I believe Ferguson will use this match as a drive for Manchester United's future. Next season will be a huge transitional period with retiring players, new signings, players back from loan, and players coming through the ranks. There's a likely chance we'll be seeing a new United side.. Hopefully, a side that can be worthy Champions of Europe.
When it comes down to it, I’m proud of our boys. Proclaimed as one Ferguson’s “worst sides,” our squad made it to the FA Cup Semi Final, Champions League Final, and most importantly, won the illustrious 19th title. United had the mentality of champions this season with true determination and a never-say-die attitude. And it was an absolute pleasure. Of course, the pain of seeing someone else feel the incredible joys of being European Champions is extremely difficult to bear. But it is this pain that will continue to drive us. I know I’m getting a little sappy and overly optimistic, but when it comes to United, I just can’t help it. I think back to that night in Moscow, and how the heavens opened for United to allow a little rain, forcing John Terry to take one of the worst penalty kicks ever. And I knew then, more than ever, that G-d loves Manchester United. And I really do love this club. Personally, I accept Barcelona’s challenge and look forward to seeing what strategy Ferguson takes in this transfer market. Next season will be exciting.
