May 1st 2007, and in a hotel somewhere in Milan, a Scotsman switches off his TV set, failing to suppress a wry, knowing grin.
Sir Alex Ferguson has been watching events from closer to home, a delirious Anfield to be precise, where Liverpool have just beaten Chelsea on penalties to reach the Champions League final. Tomorrow he’ll have the chance to join them there in Athens, setting up the biggest meeting of two English football clubs ever. Liverpool, who Ferguson had so famously “knocked off their f***ing perch” almost 15 years previously, would be going for their second European Cup in three years in the Greek capital. The prospect of stopping them makes that famous Scottish grin grow even broader.
Manchester United had beaten AC Milan 3-2 in the first leg of the semi-final, but defensive slip ups had allowed Kaka to score twice, and – even though he would never publicly admit it – Ferguson must have been nervous before the second leg at the San Siro. He’d have been right to be.
Half an hour into the contest, Milan had wiped away their disadvantage. Kaka and Clarence Seedorf – “the best player I’ve ever played against” said Wayne Rooney of the Dutchman that night – had drilled past goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar to put the Italians firmly in control. Alberto Gilardino added a third late in the second half. It was almost academic, United were well beaten.
Carlo Ancelotti and Milan went on to beat Liverpool in the final, but Ferguson will know that it could have been him.
He got a little revenge with a controlled, composed performance against Internazionale in the San Siro last season. The second-round goalless draw paved the way for a convincing 2-0 win over José Mourinho’s side in the return at Old Trafford, but the sight of those famous red and black shirts will bring it all back for Ferguson tonight. He’ll be more determined than ever, but he’ll be confident too. He has every right to be.
United are rightly considered the favourites to progress over two legs, as Milan – off the pace in the Serie A title race – are not the force of days gone by. Those two Champions League finals against Liverpool appeared to signify the end of a dynasty. There’s no Kaka, no Paolo Maldini, no Ancelotti. Seedorf, Gennaro Gattuso and Andrea Pirlo are not the forces they once were, and neither is Ronaldinho. But there is David Beckham.
Say what you want about England’s most capped outfield player, he remains one of the best around at set pieces and crosses. Milan now have a new generation of forwards in Alexandre Pato and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, and if Beckham can provide them with good service then Ferguson could be revisiting his Milan nightmare tonight, but that seems unlikely.
His team are three years older and wiser, no-one typifies that more than Rooney, and while nothing will be decided tonight in terms of qualification for the quarter-finals, a huge step can be taken on the road to the final in Madrid.
Ferguson might well be in that same hotel he stayed in three years ago. The chances are that he’ll have a much more restful night tonight.
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