A bullish Sir Alex Ferguson has claimed Manchester United have the armoury to hurt Barcelona at Wembley on 28 May and will not be cowed by memories of their last Champions League final encounter with the Catalans.
The United manager has rarely spoken about his side's 2-0 defeat by Pep Guardiola's team in 2009, when Barcelona comfortably prevented the defending European champions from retaining the trophy en route to securing a historic treble of the Spanish title, Copa del Rey and Champions League. The two clubs meet again in European football's showpiece event this month when, unlike in Rome, United will be firm underdogs against the reigning club world champions and Spanish champions-elect.
Ferguson, however, believes United's performance in 2009 was far better than it is perceived and that Barcelona must be wary of the threat posed by the attacking options at Old Trafford. "Obviously Barcelona is the big one now," said the United manager who, following Sunday's 2-1 win over Chelsea, requires one point from two league games to clinch an English record 19th domestic championship. "Everyone has acknowledged how great a team Barcelona are but Manchester United are in this final with some players who can cause any team a lot of bother. We've got attacking players who can hopefully cause Barcelona the problems everyone thinks they are going to give us. Hopefully it is going to be a fantastic final."
Ferguson accepts United face a major task to quell the mesmerising talents of Xavi, Andrés Iniesta and Lionel Messi, scorer of Barcelona's second goal in Rome, but insists his beaten finalists of two years ago were not comprehensively outplayed.
"In the final last time we started off really well and then gave away a bad goal. After that Barcelona kept the ball very well, as they always do," Ferguson told the US-based satellite radio station Sirius XM. "But people forget we missed a lot of chances in that match. Even before they scored their second goal we missed three chances. What we have to do is find a solution to the Xavi-Messi-Iniesta problem. Everyone is searching for that because they are outstanding footballers, but we have our share too."
While praise has been lavished on Barcelona – with their exception of their antics in the Champions League semi-final meeting with Real Madrid – United have not attracted the same adulation despite both clubs reaching Wembley and being on the brink of winning domestic titles.
Ferguson added: "Everyone has said this is not a good Manchester United team, that we are not this or that. But we have scored more goals than anyone else. Our home form has been magnificent. We are undefeated in Europe. We are in the Champions League final and we will win the league by getting one more point. You have to put all the criticism to one side because I have to be realistic when I look at my team and ask, 'Am I satisfied?' I think the players have given me everything. They have given the club everything."
The United manager again expressed his dismay over the possibility of Carlo Ancelotti losing his job at Chelsea, having thwarted the Italian in both the Champions League and Premier League this season. "It would shock me, not surprise me," he said.
"This is an industry that baffles me at times. Here is a man who has won the European Cup twice, he has won Scudettos. He did the double in England last year. Why is that being questioned? Why is it becoming an issue? I don't understand it. But the rumour mill is out there that he is going to be leaving. That is sad because he is an outstanding character. He is a great man, full of absolute dignity."
Ferguson also revealed he was compelled to bow to the Stretford End following Sunday's defining win over Chelsea in tribute to the support United had received in the closing stages of victory. The United manager said: "The reason I did that was because in the last 15 minutes our fans were absolutely fantastic. They helped us over the line. When we lost that goal and missed so many chances we can get over-nervous. There was a nervous aura about the place in the last 10 minutes but the fans were fantastic and that's why I bowed to them."
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