With the exception of being in Moscow itself, there was no where else in the world I would rather be then in Christy’s bar, on the 21st of May 2008. Surrounded by family and friends as we embark on an epic journey of hope, fear, sadness and utter elation, it was the Champions League Final, it was Manchester United versus Chelsea.
Chelsea were a complete thorn in the backside of Sir Alex Ferguson and all Red Devil fans alike. Since Roman Ambramovich took over they started to poke their nose ahead of United after overtaking Arsenal as the top London club. With United winning the league prior Chelsea then managed by Jose Mourinho brought in quite a few players with Florent Malouda , Nicholas Anelka and Branslav Ivanovic being the highlights. Defending their crown Manchester United spent considerably more with the arrival of Nani, Anderson, Owen Hargreaves and Carlos Tevez.
Manchester United actually started the season by defeating Chelsea at Wembley in the Community Shield. United had pipped The Pensioners to the Premier League crown in 07 while Chelsea defeated them in the FA Cup final with a Didier Drogba goal in extra time. The game, much like another encounter they would have at the end of the year ended 1-1 and the winner would be decided on penalties. Manchester United came away victorious that day, with Chelsea failing to convert from the spot once.
Champions League Time
In the group stages of the Champions League, United came away with 16 points from a possible 18 after drawing with Roma once and winning all their other games in a group which also included Sporting Lisbon & Dynamo Kiev. Chelsea finished top of their group with twelve points from the six games leaving Schalke, Rosenberg and Valencia underneath them. It was after a disappointing draw with Rosenberg in the Champions League that Jose Mourinho was sacked on September 20th. To make matters worse, three days later they lost 2-0 to Manchester United in the Premier League. Avram Grant was granted the chance to take over, and would be at the helm for the rest of the season. To be fair he did manage to get them to a League Cup final during his tenure, however Chelsea also lost that……to Spurs.
Lyon was next for Manchester United in Europes premier club competition while Greek side Olympiacos would draw against Chelsea. Both sides drew the first tie , with United bringing on Tevez who left it very late to cancel out Benzema’s early goal and carry an away goal advantage back to Old Trafford. Ronaldo’s strike seen off Lyon in the home tie, and with that United advanced to quarter finals stage. Meanwhile Olympiacos were held by solid Chelsea in the first round before Micheal Ballack, Frank Lampard, Solomon Kalou helped Chelsea cruise to the next round.
Each side were still battling it out for the top spot in England however both had just been knocked out of the FA Cup by seemingly smaller clubs in the sixth round. Manchester United lost to Harry Redknapp’s Portsmouth, with Rio Ferdinand in the net after Van Der Sar got sent off. While Barnsley knocked out Chelsea thanks to a Kayode Odejayi goal. So all the both clubs had to focus on was the Champions League & Premiership. Roma & Fenerbahçe awaited.
United easily dispatched Roma over the two legs, who had just knocked out Real Madrid in the previous round. However Chelsea suffered a shock defeat to the Turkish side on their home soil. Crucially they managed to grab an away goal and once again Ballack and Lampard were on hand to score in the home fixture to send Chelsea into the semi final stage.
Here is where the real games begin.Chelsea v Liverpool and Manchester United v Barcelona. Chelsea needed extra time to beat Liverpool after the first & second leg ended in a 1-1 draw. The aggregate score finished 4-3 in favour of Chelsea and was enough to see them advance UEFA Champions League Final for the very first time. Manchester United needed a Paul Scholes wonder strike to send United through to the final, but I cant write much about this game because I missed it. Why did I miss it, well I was forced to do after study….study. It was my leaving cert year, and due to my complete ambivalence to my education my parents seen fit to send me into school, then study, then after study study. Normally I just mitched off to go play soccer in the park or watch football in a mates gaff, but this night for some reason there was no way to break free. I missed one of the greatest nights a Manchester United fan could experience all to study for Maths paper b……sigh.
At this stage the Premier league was still neck & neck, Chelsea managed to beat United at Stamford Bridge due to a Ballack penalty on the 36th minute. Both teams won their next games and on the final day of the season both sides sat at 84 points. On 11 May 2008, the final day of the season, Manchester United beat Wigan Athletic 2–0 while Chelsea drew 1–1 with Bolton Wanderers, thus crowning Manchester United with their tenth Premier League title, and 17th championship overall. Not much time to celebrate though, as only ten days later they would do battle again.
Champions League Final 2008
On May 21st 2008 while Manchester United fans around the world were getting prepared about what was to come, I was in school at music practice. Why? Well because the music class were told that they needed to preform a rendition of the Eagle Eyed Cherry classic “Save Tonight” at our graduation mass. I was pretty young to fully experience 1999, but at the age of 18 being told I had to go to mass and sing a feckin song was not the way I envisioned this special night. I used my time wisely in the church praying to the football gods i.e. Eric Cantona for a United win.
There was more then pride at stake, I had a bet going with a Chelsea mate, if Chelsea won I would have to wear a Chelsea jersey, take a photo and kiss the badge and vice versa. It was way to heated and serious for two lads from Kilkenny, Ireland with no local connection to either club then it ever needed to be. We agreed we could not watch the game together and he went down the road to where the Chelsea fans congregated. I had my United gear ready to rock in my school bag, quick change after mass seen me filling out my dads 92/93 Manchester united home kit. He was less then impressed I strutted into the pub wearing his gear, but he should of been used to it. I got in just in time to see the teams being named.
Manchester United team
Embed from Getty Images
Chelsea Team
Embed from Getty Images
Two fantastic sides going head to head for the fourth time that season. Seeing that United starting 11 makes me long for those days, jaysus I didn’t know how good I had it. Should of listening to those Eagle Eyed Cherry lyrics I sang at the graduation, they surely have a message of savoring the night? The game was a bit sketchy early on , with a Paul Scholes nose bleed probably the highlight of the match in the first 25 minutes. That was until Cristiano Ronaldo got on the end of a Wes Brown cross to score his 42nd goal of the whole campaign, with that Christy’s erupted. Half my family were there high fiving each other as if we crossed the ball in for Ronaldo ourselves.
After that both side had chances with Rio Ferdinand forcing his own keeper to make a save, while Peter Cech denied Michael Carrick to keep the game 1-0. Carlos Tevez almost had a chance to send United two goals to the good at the break but failed to stretch far enough to put the ball in the net. As we approached half time it looked like United would walk down the tunnel with the lead. Well they only had themselves to blames after a few comical errors Frank lampard bounced to make it a draw. Deflections, Slips and goal oh my!
The second half became a bit of a blur, not due to Alcoholic beverages consumed, more to do with the stress. Chelsea looked to be getting the upper hand which made the situation way more tense. Rio Ferdinand going to the floor with 20 minutes gone in the second half, did nothing to subvert the fears. I did not want to wear that Chelsea jersey! I thought I would be when Didier Drogba curled a wonderful long-range effort which rattled post. When the ref blew the whistle to indicate the end of 90 minutes and start of extra time, in my heart I wanted penalties. This buzz I was feeling it what sports is all about. Happiness and devastation just moments away.
Two minutes into extra time Chelsea smacked the post again this time it was Frank Lampard who hit the crossbar before Joe Cole fluffed the rebound. Shortly after Cole went down with a cramp and Chelsea brought on Anelka. Both new substitutes Ryan Giggs and Solomon Kalou had chances to put their side ahead but neither capitalised. Before I knew it we were into the second half of extra time and all the lads are fighting. Not in the pub I was in, like on the pitch, all giving out then boom…..a huge cheer, as if United scored. It was still a goal a piece, 1-1 but now it would be contested with 11 v 10. Didier Drogba was sent off. Now I have been quoted in a previous article saying that I prefer football being played the traditional way when giving out about Joey Barton, but I can confirm on this day as an 18 year old, i did not share this view. Drogba was a dangerous man in the closing stages of a game, as United learned in the FA Cup the year previous. I was grateful he was gone. Only two minutes later we hand penalties.
Penalties
Edwin Van Der Sar was a keeper that would always make you feel comfortable, then you look at Chelseas number one, and you would be pretty confident in his abilities also. A few subs were made in the final minutes of extra time with penos in mind. Beletti came on for Makelele and Anderson for Brown. I was with my two cousins arms over shoulders, the smallest one in the middle. Tevez was the first man to step up in-front of the 67,310 fans at well after midnight to take the first penalty of the shootout. Heres how it went
Tevez scores for Man United.
Ballack scores for Chelsea.
Carrick scores for Man United.
Belletti scores for Chelsea.
Ronaldo ***misses**** for Man United.
Wait what?
Embed from Getty Images
Lampard scores for Chelsea.
Hargreaves scores for Man United.
Ashley Cole scores for Chelsea
Nani scores for Man United.
John Terry Please God Cantona anybody but him, if you ever loved me please don’t allow this to happen
John Terry misses for Chelsea.
JOHN TERRY MISSED FOR CHELSEA!!!!!! We celebrated throwing my smaller cousin up and down in the air. That was it I knew United hand it at that moment. I think everyone gets that gut feeling, the wind felt like it was on the back of the Devils.
SUDDEN DEATH
Anderson scores for Man United
Kalou … scores for Chelsea.
Giggs … scores for Man United.
Nicolas Anelka … misses for Chelsea!
It was done, Manchester United had become champions of Europe once again. It also the 100th anniversary of Manchester United’s first league triumph, the 50th anniversary of the Munich air disaster, and the 40th anniversary of United’s first European Cup triumph in 1968. I took off and ran straight down to the pub full of Chelsea supporters to swim in my friends tears. His face dropped as I marched in, he knew what was coming. I never understood why it was so glorious to bask in a friends misery, but hey it was. A bet is a bet. He had to get my retro jersey on…..and he did , and then put a cigarette burn thru it. Intentionally I was furious but over the years I have grown to love that burn, it brings back such great memories. It was my Dad that was proper mad anyway, it was his jersey.
Fun fact : the same day 8 years later in 2016 Manchester United beat Crystal Palace, 2-1 with Jesse Lingard winner in extra time to claim the FA CUp
