Manchester United welcome AS Roma to Old Trafford in the Champions League this evening, a fixture that brings back memories of one of the club’s greatest European nights.
As Michael Carrick attempts to navigate a storm, the Manchester United manager can take inspiration from a memorable spring evening almost two decades ago. One in which he was at the forefront.
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Though the Red Devils were not quite at their current crisis point, successive defeats in Europe and thePremier League had raised question marks about Sir Alex Ferguson‘s side.
The first leg of the club’s 2006/07 Champions League quarter-final with Roma had ended in defeat. Paul Scholes’ red card contributed to a 2-1 loss at the Stadio Olimpico, while the arrest of 21 fans after tempers flared outside the ground compounded a disappointing evening.
Ahead of the return, United had lost again. Portsmouth ran out 2-1 winners at Fratton Park to blow open the title race, with Chelsea closing in to within three points of the beaten visitors.
As Roma arrived at Old Trafford for the second leg, Ferguson issued a war cry, insisting United were capable of turning around the tie. He pointed to a crucial away goal as a source for optimism.
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“It’s always crucial to score away goals, especially because Roma are very good at home,”Ferguson said.
“I think we have a good chance to progress despite the defeat. In the past, many great teams have come to Old Trafford after a first-leg victory and United still managed to get through. Roma are among the best teams we have faced this season.”
As it transpired, the away goal proved the least of Roma’s concerns.
Serie A was not quite the powerhouse it had been in the nineties, but Italian football remained a major force in Europe.
AC Milan and Juventus had contested the 2003 Champions League final, while Milan had reached another final in 2005. Furthermore, two of the previous four Ballon d’Or winners were Serie A based.
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Roma, meanwhile, had three members of Italy’s World Cup-winning squad from the previous summer, including Francesco Totti, who was enjoying a 32-goal season across all competitions, including 26 in Serie A, earning him the European Golden Shoe.
Having looked so out of sorts across the past two matches, Manchester United started with some nerves. Roma twice had early sights of Edwin van der Sar’s goal, without troubling the Dutchman. United needed a settler, and it soon arrived. Carrick strode forward and struck into the top corner to put United ahead on the night – and in the tie.
From there, the floodgates opened.
Six minutes later, a nice move ended withRyan Giggs freeing Alan Smith, whose smart side-foot finish found the corner. Roma could not live with United’s pace on the break and inside 19 minutes, the hosts were three ahead and rampant. Cristiano Ronaldo wriggled through a trail of white shirts before Giggs was released down the right. A pinpoint cross found Rooney, who made no mistake.
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Daniele De Rossi glanced a good chance wide in a clear opening for Roma, but otherwise, the onslaught continued. A fourth arrived on the stroke of half-time as Ronaldo drilled in his first-ever Champions League goal. It had taken the Portuguese winger 26 games to open his account, a stunning statistic given what was to come.
United refused to ease up after the break. Ronaldo tapped in a fifth, and Carrick added a sixth with a sensational second strike. Roma’s reply from De Rossi was little consolation, while there was still time for substitute Patrice Evra to get in on the act to make it seven for the hosts.
Italian clubs were not supposed to be beaten like this.
United had produced a blistering performance, one which ranked right up there among the greatest European nights in the club’s famous history.
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Ferguson’s side were frightening, fluent, and produced a statement that suggested success was on the horizon. Their run ended at the hands of eventual winners AC Milan in the semi-finals, but United returned the following season to be crownedChampions League winners.
Their demolition of Roma was arguably the clearest indication yet that Ferguson had assembled one final great Manchester United side. A team that would go on to dominate English football, conquer Europe and deliver some of the most memorable nights of his legendary reign.
