By Myles Palmer
THAT FIRST GOAL WAS LIKE A LEFT HOOK.
Man Utd were doing OK and then suddenly they were hit by a stunning punch and they were on the floor and concussed and the world was upside down and they were listening to the ref counting SIX…SEVEN…EIGHT…NINE and they staggered to their feet…and played on.
Two weeks ago I said that Real Madrid would win the European Cup because their finishing was by far the best.
And that’s the way it was tonight.
United started OK and Van Nistelrooy had a rocket shot saved and O’Shea even nutmegged Figo.
Then on 12 minutes Ronaldo ran onto Guti’s simple pass and hit it first time from an unpromising angle and the ball flashed past Barthez at his near post, making him look a mug.
Ruud VN equalised in 43 but halftime came without Keane having tackled anybody.His influence was minimal.
Fergie had left one of his big players, Beckham, on the bench – and brought in Veron.
United staggered on 49 as Figo’s left foot chip rolled aloing the face of the crossbar and went behind when Ronaldo converted a sweet Zidane-Carlos move on the left.
A Helguera o.g. made it 2-2 after Verons’ driven cross hit him.
Nothing he could do with such a nasty ball so close to the goal.
RONALDO then looped a dipper over Barthez in 59.
Solari replaced him seven minutes later, after Beckham had come on for Veron, and RVN had clipped the outside of the post with a fierce shot.
BECKHAM made it 3-3 with one of his best-ever free-kicks, stunning Casillas, who did not move.
Beckham followed up a rebound when an RVN shot deflected off Helguera foir 4-03 on the night.
So it finished 6-5 to Real Madrid on aggregate.
Figo and Giggs had been peripheral compared to several other players.
Giggs was a player without a role in this game.
GUTI played 15 yards behind Zidane and distributed perfectly and craftily within the rotational movement around him.
After that first goal, United were always struggling, always playing catch-up, always trying to roll a snowball up a hill in a heatwave.
ZIDANE played in the Raul role, and passed exquisitely.
The economy of Ronaldo and Zidane was masterful.
Never have two footballers achieved so much with so little wasted energy.
RUUD VAN NISTELROOY had his best game in the Champions League.
This was easily the most dynamic I’ve ever seen him and easily the most confident I’ve seen him.
Will United be demoralised?
Or will they go to Tottenham on Sunday and score six?
After losing 3-1 they went to Newcastle and won 6-2.
Interestingly, United can win all their games now and still finish trophyless for a second season in a row.
ARSENAL should win all their remaining games.
Clearly, Arsenal and Man United are two goals better than the other 18 teams in the Premiership.
I THINK BOTH WILL WIN ALL THEIR GAMES.
In Milan, Ajax pulled back to 2-2 and would have gone through on away goals.
But Inzaghi grabbed a later winner.
Real will beat Juventus, get Raul back, and stuff AC Milan in the final.
Doubt if that will be 4-3.
23rd April 2003