SIR ALEX FERGUSON thinks he made a mistake trying to deal with Lionel Messi that cost Manchester United the 2011 Champions League final.
The legendary Scot wishes he’d put United favourite Park Ji-sung on the Argentine superstar at Wembley and reckons his side would have won if he had.
The Red Devils were beaten 3-1 on the night with Messi playing a massive part for the Catalan giants.
Wayne Rooney cancelled out Pedro’s strike to see the teams go in level at the break.
But six-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi was scintillating in the second-half and was instrumental in putting the tie beyond Fergie’s side.
And speaking during a SportBible Q&A with Gary Neville, Ferguson, 79, admitted he regrets his half-time hesitation.
He said: “That’s where I lost the final against Barcelona at Wembley.
“I should have changed at half-time and put Park Ji-sung on Messi.
“That was a mistake… I was going to do it at half-time, then I said: ‘Well, we just equalised before half-time, they may see the game differently, we may grow into the game better.’
“We were actually quite good in the last 10 minutes of that half. We came into it and we could have been in front. But if I’d played Park against Messi, I think we’d have beat them. I really do.”
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Messi scored a world class long range effort to make it 2-1 before a trademark mazy run in the build up to David Villa’s final nail in the coffin.
Much-loved Park was generally under-rated during his time at Old Trafford but many of his former team-mates credit him with being the engine of the side.
The popular South Korean won four Premier League titles, one Champions League and four League Cups during his time in Manchester.
During the same interview, Ferguson revealed he thought Dele Alli was going to be a ‘top player’ and has been wondering what has happened to the Tottenham man.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
