Ferguson anticipating fantastic final
Reuters - Wednesday 20 May 2009, 15:29
MANCHESTER - Barcelona and
Manchester United boast the type of players who can ensure the
Champions League final is a more entertaining affair than in
past years, United manager Alex Ferguson said on Wednesday.
"It will be a fantastic final," Ferguson told reporters a
week before his team take on the Spanish champions in Rome.
"The players that Barcelona have got and Manchester United
have got, it suggests a good final and I hope it lives up to
that.
"European finals can be disappointing and if you look at the
results over the years there were some really disappointing
games and results, penalty kicks.
"I have a feeling it won't be like that on Wednesday but
there are very few high-scoring finals."
He praised coach Pep Guardiola for an excellent first
season in charge at the Nou Camp, saying he had had his doubts
about the wisdom of the club installing as their coach a man who
had spent 11 years there as a player.
"My experience of big football clubs is that when a former
player takes over it doesn't always work and I think there was
always a big question mark on Pep going back to Barcelona after
being a great player there," said Ferguson.
"But in his first season he had won the league so I think he
has done fantastically well.
Ferguson, whose team sealed their 18th English league title
at the weekend, said he had been impressed by Barcelona's 6-2
thrashing of last year's Spanish champions Real Madrid earlier
this month.
"We're playing a team that have a fantastic philosophy of
football and I watched their game against Real Madrid and
thought 'Christ, we've got to play them possibly'," he said.
"But then Chelsea showed they can be beaten. I take some
encouragement from that but they are a fantastic team with
fantastic individuals."