Anyone else think Alex Ferguson has totally lost the plot this time? On the Champions League draw, he said: "Real Madrid - they have a nice draw, they must have picked it themselves. The Spanish or Italian teams don't play each other, how do you think they work that out? They don't want us in the final, that's for sure, but I'm not listening.'' The whole 'everyone hates us' thing might work in the dressing room and on players like Royston Keane and David Beckham but when you start believing the bull yourself it's time to go. Anyway, Old Whiskey Face has just given me another reason to support Real tonight!
There's only one line of thinking where Manchester Utd would be Madrid's first choice. With the assumption that these two teams can beat any other team in the competition, Madrid is better off facing Manchester in a two-leg knockout than in a one-off at Old Trafford. But why not in the semifinals, when Madrid's form will be probably be better and the weak opposition will have been weeded out. If he thinks that, CL final location aside, Madrid would rather face Manchester than a Spanish team (um, who's leading Liga Primera right now?) or Ajax, he is indeed nuts. Of course, the Champions' League is also a much, much greater competition than the once every 4 years, 2 year qualifying build-up, biggest sporting event on Earth, World Cup.
Madrid said themselves that they didn't want to get spanish opposition, and that they wanted man utd. It wouldn't surprise me if uefa pulled a few strings or should i say balls.
Take the hate aside and think about the statistical probability that makes Fergies points at least somewhat founded: There are 4 possible draws that include Italian vs Italian or Spanish vs Spanish clubs out of the possible 12 draws that could have taken place (or is it 16? they okay Group stage opposition to face each other in knockouts this year?). So, thats either 1/3 or 1/4 chances for one of those draws to occur and it didnt happen. From ratings to buisness sense, its alot easier to build up a case to not have league rivals face each other in knockout stages than it is to say "oh, this is just random"...it's still closed door pretty much...the two most dominant clubs in terms of this competition clashing this early on (relative) in knockout ... thats Game 6-ish.
Makes you wonder if UEFA doesn't want teams from the same country to face each other at this stage, they wouldn't have changed the rule that stopped this from happening. ______________ [size=0.75]There still are people who take Ferguson seriously?[/size]
Yeah, I think this was just a case of dumb, incredible luck. It happens sometimes. If it would have gone another way, maybe people from the other clubs would be complaining that UEFA wanted to get Manchester United back to the Final at Old Trafford for increased TV and gate.