Man U Loses!

I literally had to drag myself out of bed this morning to watch the Champions League Final between Man U and Barcelona. I didn't have to - as neither is a team I support (or like). As there had to be a winner, I just wanted to root for the team that would cause me the least pain and heartache should it emerge the winner. To my great relief, that was exactly how it eventually turned out. Barcelona knocked the daylights out of Man U with a well-deserved 2-0 victory. The icing on the cake was seeing Man U at the final whistle wallowing in shock, disbelief and disappointment. And Ferguson almost choking as he talked to Geoff Shreeves!

Bareclona was by far the better team on the Roman night. The passing was slick, the midfield was well marshalled, and Man U was never allowed to play their usual high-tempo game. To rub salt into Man U's wounded ego, the early signs were there for all to see that this was never to be Man U's night.

- Ferguson cut a forlorn, nervous figure from the start of the game. His usual confidence and chirpiness eluded him. He wasn't even chewing his gum!

- Van der Sar wasn't in his favourite green jersey.

- Man U players also left their lucky red jerseys at home - a fatal oversight. In an all-white outfit, they played like Real Madrid under the Ramos era. They could at least have worn red underwear to swing things around.

- United's strategy backfired. Underestimating Barcelona, they rested Tevez and Berbatov, keeping faith with a lone striker (a short, stocky, bald-headed Rooney), and started with lightweights Anderson, Park and O'Shea in midfield and defence.

- Red Devils allowed ego, pomp, arrogance, over-confidence and showmanship to get into their game.

- Ferguson could have sorted out Teves' contract prior to the match, and offloaded Anderson instead of Pique to Barcelona last summer.

If there is any positive that EPL managers can draw from last night's result, it is this: Man U can be beaten if you take the game to them, and if the English referees are not intimidated by Ferguson's influence. You also don't need skyscrapers like Crouch to get the better of United's tall defenders. Just a small, nifty, nimble, hardworking Argentinian will do!