[martinbennett83]

Originally Posted by RichardsReds

I've seen it twice now, two absolute epic finals! Manchester United do not disappoint! I can't decide if this was better than at the n camp!

I can remember the munich game been really boring apart from the ending of coarse.

I think i enjoyed last nights more.

[RedForceRising]

Carrick ready for march on Rome
http://www.uefa.com/competitions/ucl...id=699845.html

Michael Carrick believes Manchester United FC have "set the standards" this season with success at home and abroad and is calling on his team-mates to continue their improvement as they seek to build a dynasty to consistently challenge the best in Europe.

'Better and better'
The 26-year-old midfielder was at the heart of the action as United – who had already secured their second successive Premier League title – overcame Chelsea FC in a penalty shoot-out in Moscow to clinch their first UEFA Champions League victory since 1999 and their third European Champion Clubs' Cup triumph. "We've set the standards this season; to win the league and the Champions League shows how good we are," he said. "The squad's at a good age, we've got some terrific players and hopefully we can keep getting better and better and be back here next year."

'Not bothered'
United took the lead through Cristiano Ronaldo midway through the first half and Carlos Tévez twice and Carrick himself both had chances to extend the lead before Frank Lampard equalised on the stroke of half-time. Having lost the advantage, United struggled to impose themselves with Didier Drogba and Lampard both striking the frame of the goal for Chelsea – yet Carrick was unconcerned with assessing the performance. Asked if he thought United deserved to win, he told uefa.com: "I'm not bothered, I really don't care. I said before the game I didn't care how we play and what happened as long as we got the trophy and we've managed to do that. We were very good first half and should have been more [goals] up. They managed to get a goal back and credit to them, they kept coming at us."

'Do the right thing'
United took the final into a penalty shoot-out where Ronaldo, John Terry and Nicolas Anelka all failed in United's 6-5 victory after Carrick had successfully converted their second effort, yet admitted it had been something to endure rather than enjoy. "It's hard as players; obviously you try to do the right thing and believe you're going to score but you know deep down that someone's going to miss," he told uefa.com. "Someone has to win and thankfully for us they missed more penalties. It's maybe better that it wasn't just one player who missed tonight. You've got to trust your own ability and believe you're going to score and thankfully I did."

'Season to remember'
Lampard's goal was the first United had conceded in 441 minutes of UEFA Champions League action and, having won nine of their 13 games in the competition this season and drawn the others, Carrick has no doubt they proved worthy winners. "To go through the whole season undefeated shows we deserve to win it," he said. "Obviously it's a dream to win something like this. It's something that we've been trying to do all year. It's been a terrific season; to win both the league and the Champions League is not easy. The boss made signings in the summer and everyone in the squad has played a part. It's been a season to remember."


Ronaldo salutes United spirit
http://www.uefa.com/competitions/ucl...feed&att=index

He may have finished as the UEFA Champions League top scorer and struck the 42nd goal of an astounding season to help Manchester United FC triumph in the final in Moscow, but Cristiano Ronaldo is keen to share the credit for his memorable campaign.

'Contrasting fortunes'
The Portuguese international headed United into a 26th-minute lead at the Luzniki Stadium only for Frank Lampard to bring Chelsea FC level seconds before the half-time whistle. With neither side able to find a winner in the second period or in extra time, it was down to a penalty shoot-out and Ronaldo presented Chelsea with the initiative when he failed to bear Petr Čech with United's third spot-kick of the regulation five. The Portuguese international, who also missed in the semi-final first leg at FC Barcelona, was spared when John Terry sent Chelsea's fifth kick wide, and three successful conversions later Nicolas Anelka's failure ensured the trophy would be going to Manchester for a third time.

'Dramatic and fantastic'
"The Champions League is always dramatic and the game today was fantastic," he said. "Both teams played very well; we played better in the first half, created more chances than Chelsea and scored a very good goal. We had the opportunity to kill the game [through] Carlos Tévez but that was saved and in the second half Chelsea played better and had a few opprtunities. Then the penalties – it's like a lottery." Asked if he felt relief when Terry missed, he replied: "A little bit, yes."

Disbelief
When Anelka was denied by Edwin van der Sar, Ronaldo sank to his knees in the centre circle in celebration. "I was that stressed – the feeling was so great and to be honest I didn't believe we'd won the Champions League," he explained. "I feel very proud. The lads have worked very well and it's a good night for us. They believed all the time and they deserve to win the Champions League. This is everything for me, I have looked forward to winning this competition and it's my first Champions League."

'Great feeling'
Ronaldo's goal in Moscow was his eighth in the competition this season, two more than any other player, and took his season tally to 42, a clear source of satisfaction – yet he is already looking ahead to UEFA EURO 2008™. "I'm very proud, everything has come right for me," he said. "My team-mates have helped me a lot; we've won the Premier League and the Champions League, so everything is good . It's been a magnificent season and it's a great feeling; when you pick up the trophy it's amazing. We're going to enjoy tonight; we'll have a party and then I'll start to think about EURO. It's a fantastic year with my club, and now I want to win that as well."

[sweet fa]

what a night absolutley awesome!and what a way to stop the chelsea juggernaut in its tracks , they left the field totally devastated and there must now be a massive rebuilding job at the club because a few of their top players seem to be on the way out of the club.
although it is not nice to lose a penalty shootout {utd have lost a few over the years} , i don't feel at all sorryful for chelsea if they had won their fans would be gloating us for ever more along with most other teams fans.so we might have won in the most wickedest of ways that will never heal down at stamford,GREAT.
what was the most amazing though is the fact that the 4 players utd signed last summer tevez-hargreaves-nani-anderson all scored in the penalty shootout , yes 4 of the 6 goals were by the new lads .what a canny bit of business that was last summer by fergie must be amongst his best for utd , regarding the importance of this trophy and utds past history in its quest.

[abojodeh]

great post sweet fa
i agree our 4 new players scored
while chelsea players didn't (anelka)
we bought ours by less price and they are all young

[amuchan]

yessssssss!! it was written in the stars, it was fate and what makes this even more wonderful for me is that united will come here to tokyo next year for the toyota cup final and yes i will be there!!

[PrinceZane]

Fair play to Chelsea for making this final the 2nd most memorable in the history for the competition (nothing beats 99.... nothing).

That being said, our boys proved they are the now and the future. What I would give to be across the pond right now...

[It's Mighty]

It's fantastic, folks!! Now I get all the joy over this beautiful game.

I actually had to see about the results online as I was working. I raised my hands and did a couple of fist pumps when I saw that van der Sar had made the save.

I could get used to this, obviously.

UNITED!!

[versa]

Telegraph


Europe awoke today with a new incumbent sat on the glittering Champions League throne.

'MANCHESTER UNITED KINGS OF EUROPE' proclaimed La Gazzetta dello Sport, saluting United for their voracious hunger in picking up a second trophy in ten days.

Once again, Chelsea were the team pipped in a "photofinish" and the general feeling across the continent is that they were the better team on the night.

"To lose a Champions League final on penalties is cruel," says Il Corriere della Sera, "to lose it when you already had it in the bag even more so. To lose it like Chelsea did is pure torture."

La Gazzetta feels that Edwin van der Sar's save from Nicolas Anelka's spot-kick "unfairly punished Chelsea", singling out Frank Lampard and Petr Cech for their brave performances.

The pink paper's sympathy only stretches so far, however, illustrated by the cruel pun on the Chelsea captain's 'TERRYBLE' penalty.

Il Corriere has no doubt that Lady Luck was kind to United in Moscow, concluding that: "There are those who combine beauty and brilliance with luck- Cristiano Ronaldo and his Manchester United team fall into that category. Avram Grant and his Chelsea side do not."

La Repubblica praises an enthralling game in which "European club football showed its strengths- class, physical force, tactical strategy, balance and the economic power of two of its richest clubs."

For the Spanish paper Marca, United enjoyed a "dose of fortune" to beat a side that were "arguably better than their rivals".

For United, the trophy, for Chelsea there is just the "bitter taste of defeat in Moscow."

However, talk inevitably turns to what Il Corriere calls the "hunt for the stars of Moscow", speculating on the futures of Drogba, Lampard and Ronaldo.

Marca carries an enigmatic quote from Ronaldo, saying that "Next week I will make my decision about my future public- and it will be good for both me and the club."

Meanwhile, A Bola, the Portuguese paper, gives the man from Madeira man of the match status for his goal.

In Germany, Bild focuses on the cruel fate of the captain of their national team Michael Ballack, remembering that he was also a losing finalist back in 2002 for Bayer Levrkusen against Real Madrid.

No such misfortune for Patrice Evra, who was on the losing side for Monaco against Porto in 2004.

In an interview with L'Equipe the United defender says that "God gave us a hand" and dedicates the victory to Prince Albert of Monaco.

The Frenchman also reveals that Sir Alex told his team before the game that if "they won in Moscow they would be the best side that he had managed in the last 20 years of his career".

[Miss Dangerous]

We Are The Champions Of Europ

[versa]

Telegraph


Edwin van der Sar couldn't contain himself after he was asked on national television what if felt like to save the penalty which clinched the Champions League final for Manchester United.

Trouble is, an audience of millions were tuned in when the adrenaline-fuelled Dutchman had a microphone shoved under his nose by a reporter immediately after the game.

"DELETED hell!", he said disbelieveingly, before quickly apologising for his gaffe.

Having had more time to reflect on the triumph, United fans used less colourful language to describe their emotions as the club celebrated a third European Cup success.

"I have been a United fan since 1965 when I was seven," said a reader on the Telegraph message boards. "In all this time I have witnessed the greatest club in the world pass from glory to the second division, to a half decent side to even greater glory. All the time, no matter what, they have played as entertaining football as anyone on the planet. and, usually with home grown talent. What a team. What a club."

"United deserved to win because they created the better chances, and Nemanja Vidic had Didier Drogba in his pocket," said another. "Sir Alex is the better manager, I knew that when he got into the ears of the players extra time would be a breeze."

Chatrooms were awash with jibes from United fans who couldn't resist taking a pop at Chelsea's tearful captain John Terry for the penalty miss which cost his club the trophy. Terry, who slipped as he struck his kick and watched in horror as the ball hit the post, was inundated with messages of support but found little sympathy from those cheering Sir Alex Ferguson's side

"I hear that Chelsea are launching a John Terry vodka - bottled in Moscow," joked one supporter.

"It was a glorious sight to see Terry break down after the penalty shoot out," said another. "Could not have happened to a nicer man. He was ungracious in defeat - he turned his back on United as they prepared to raise the cup aloft. This shows a lack of humility, that will have been noted by Fabio Cappello, and is just another reason why he will not be given the England captaincy."

One fan scoffed at the Chelsea players who described Terry as an honest professional.

"Isn't this the same guy who wanted a 10-year ten year contract with the right to be manager at the end of the period? He'll get over it once he's bought a bunch of gold jewellery with his £130,000 per week," said another.

Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon, who left United to take up the post at Stamford Bridge, was also taregeted for some stick.

"Chelsea had the chance to win the game when they were on top in the second half, but they blew it. That's sport. Highlight of the evening for me was the sight of Peter 'Lifelong Red' Kenyon looking as white as a sheet as he sprinted up the steps to collect his losers' medal.

"Let's hope that taking Roman's roubles compensates him adequately for leaving one of the world's greatest clubs to join a small outfit in west London that has finished the season with nothing. Nice one Peter."

Some Chelsea fans simply refused to accept defeat.

"Not wishing it to sound like sour grapes, because it isn't, but we didn't lose the game - we just lost the shoot out," one said. "It's no way to settle a match of this calibre. To my mind the 'golden goal' was the best way."

One neutral was disappointed that the contest deteriorated into a fractious battle in extra-time with the match on a knife edge.

"What a laughing stock football is this morning. Yes, yes if you are one-eyed follower of either team and the 'great' game you'll see it differently. However, if like me you are a sports fan in general and tuned to see two English teams in the final you'll be left sour by it all.

"Cheating, theatrics, sulking, girlie slapping and acts of cowardice in the tackle - this game had the lot. If football fans and commentators think this game was a great advert for English football, their arrogance knows no bounds.

Far from it, the game actually showed that it's a sport where cheating and lying is tolerated and where unacceptable behaviour is the norm, all played out behind the smokescreen of 'passion'. If you want to see passion in sport go and watch a rugby match."