The European Champions will start the campaign to retain their European title in Group E. There’s no AS Roma this year, instead we will be at the same group with Villarreal, Celtic and Aalborg.

While i don’t know much of Denmark’s Aalborg, Celtic is the champions of Scottish Premier League and Villareal was 2nd in the Spanish League last season. Celtic once beat us in the UCL campaign, while ex reds Giuseppe Rossi is the bomber at Villareal.

However, i don’t think we will face too many difficulties to pass the group stage although surprises will always a possibility. It’s the Champions League for God sake (even John Terry slips :D).

But at least now the coaching team know who the lads will face in the UCL and concentrating all efforts to get our injured players back on the field to bring back our usual winning way.

It’s time for Zenit St Petersburg in Monaco on Friday at the UEFA Super Cup, we need to get the win for our 2nd ‘trophy’ of the season.

Come on Campiones!

It’s late night here in Bali and i’m just waking up with a big headache, but i think i found some important updates down here.

Rooney might be out injured, while Anderson serving Brazil is at the Olympics, Nani serve his suspension and Ronaldo is still in recovery after his ankle injury. Sure we have Tevez, Carrick, Sholesy, Giggs, Hargo and everyone else at the team but the first game of 08/09 game is very near. It’s not a comfortable news though since we’ll face Juventus for the last pre-season friendly match followed by title celebration, facing Portsmouth in the Charity Shield and start the season with a match against Newcastle. So i really hope Rooney can get well soon.

However, i’ve just realized that our double silverware celebration last season was covered the Celtic chaotic fans that made the local police hold the title parade and of course by Ronaldo saga whole summer long. But now everything seems so much clearer (minus our several 1st teamer out for various reasons) the new season will soon get started and everyone seems to focus on that. And least but not last, SAF confirmed the Ronaldo saga is over. So, i do think this will be a good time to celebrate our Champions League and Premiere League winners celebration now, not a month ago. Consider the last 4-5 weeks as a holiday for most of the squad until finishing 10 months of busy competitions in high.

Maybe it’s all in the agenda of God. He blesses the Red Devils.

Come on you reds.

I was tempted not to post anything after the Champions League win. Soon after the game finished, i browsed around the world wide web, reading all those beautiful coverage of the Kings of Europe. You know, you think you have it ‘enough’.

I watched the game LIVE on TV anyway so i don’t discover anything new, which include:

1. Chelsea players didn’t feel to lose. Hold on. Yo blues. Do you read the text in the medal you received carefully. Does it written that you were the winners? Hah?.
2. The haters is already talking about next year. Next year is going to be ours, we’ll beat you blah blah blah. Dude. They think they are the only ones who have next year plans. Yeah see you next year, but now it’s all about Reds.

Dude, the feeling to see the win was fantastic, even though it’s all the same stories. In the last 24 hours, it’s all about Manchester United in about everywhere. World wide web, TV, papers; name it.

However, one of the best thing of having a blog and blog about what i love, is that i am able to use the posts to discover what i do, including my past, present and future feelings. It’s a cool way to remembering the good time and bad times. It’s more likely to be a personal journal, that anyone else in the world with internet connection, can also read. So, i decide to post some of my thoughts.

Here we go. The Final Of Champions League 2007-2008; Manchester United VS Chelsea.

Whatever…

First things first; the bad things.

1. Important lad that was missing in the cloud of Reds: Ji Sung Park. You’re another unsung hero!
2. Ronaldo’s statement regarding his future. He’s an egoistic maniac and totally ruin the party. I don’t think he will ever change. He’s the same lad who ask the referee to card Rooney at the World Cup. I bet Tevez will score more goals if he leaves! But, let’s leave it to Sir Alex.
3. That Ivorian thug, who again had his clashes with Vidic whom successfully kept him under his pocket throughout the game. Drogba, you’re a fucking idiot!
4. I don’t understand why, when shots that hit the post labeled as ‘unlucky’. Here’s my thought on that. The shots are just not good enough that it don’t end at the goal. So to me it’s not unlucky, it’s not good enough. Period.’

Now the good part. The F***ing Win. Yesss!

Oh man the game was freaking tight. I watch the first goal with pride. You know, it’s good to see Wesley Brown can finally pass the ball ‘right’ on such important occassion, and that boy Ronaldo finished it off with style. His first goal against Chelsea. Several minutes after the goal, Reds find it hard to stop bombing the blue side of the pitch. It was maginificent long pass from Rooney after dispossessing a Chelsea striker passed through the right foot of Ronaldo. He then passed it right to Tevez followed by the awesome move by the big Chelsea goal keeper. However the clearance ball from Chelsea defender was only as far as Carrick that shot and only the great reflect of Cech keep Chelsea stays on the game. Came late at the first half, an equaliser came after Essien shot, which bounces from Vidic and Ferdinand, that lead the ball to unmarked Lampard. Edwin Van Der Sar slipped in the vital moment, another Chelsea ugly goal came, 1-1!

The second half, Chelsea played like a different team. But we have our chances and our defensive players were just wonderful.

The game went to extra time. As always, extra times are just awful for me. It was 20 tired lads running around to chase 1 ball that moves around the pitch. Nervy, as Chelsea have their moments. But again we passed it well. However, Giggsy almost brings us Champions League title early, after super cool run by Evra, but Terry’s super reflect header was awesomely denied the United legend to score his first Champions League final goal.

In the end, after no signs of a winner, penalty shoot out was even worst. I felt like i was going to pee in my pant everytime another Reds took on penalty. However, Ronaldo failed penalty was covered by Terry’s miss. He had the chance for glory, but weirdly enough, the score were back levelled. The next taker was Giggsy. He brought Chech the wrong way. He score. Level! Then there came the decisive moment, when Nicholas ‘the always rejecting Reds’ Anelka step up to the ball, only to be denied our own EDWIN VAN DER SAR.

That’s it. We’re crowned. The Champions of Europe.

Oh yeah you Reds!

Picture by Terry 6082 Books.

I shit my pants out watching the penalties as the lost against Arsenal some seasons ago in the FA Cup still haunt me. But hey the end result was brilliant.

I will write more later, the sun has gone up here in Bali. I need some sleep.

Right now, CAMPIONEEEEEEEEEE CAMPIOOOOOONEEEEEEEEE OLEEEEEEEEEE OLEEEEEEEEEEE OLEEEEEEEEEEEE…!

This is yet the biggest Champions League final for me. The last Champions League final i watched was when Arsenal vs Barcelona in which Barcelona went as Champion.

The reason Champions League never been this big for is because i don’t really watch football (i watch Manchester United). Given this is the 3rd time (the 2nd time for me to watch the game LIVE at TV after the 1999 victory), no wonder if this competition is not an important trophy for this reds.

However, since Manchester United are through to the final, this is heaven for me. I sincerely hope we can win this match, despite i can’t understand why our team is all over media while Chelsea’s player are so quite (unlike before the final Premiere League game last week). I guess SAF should grounded the boys by not letting them talk to any media at all to focus on winning the game (remember the Ronaldo-Real connection early on? It’s disturbing!).

Dude, i even see the team preparing to fly out to Moscow and publish my thoughts in the internet. I never thought that Manchester United can play this big part in my life.

My best of luck goes out to all the lads. No matter who will be chosen by the Boss for the first team, i am sure all team will give out the best for Reds, as is the Club, The Boss (es), Themselves, Their Families and The Fans.

Come on you Reds, let’s win the Champions League!

Picture credit: Manchester Evening News.

THE Champions League final is near and the team will need every bit of fans support to take the win in Moscow. This will surely a hard fought match as Avant Grant and his Chelsea team will try to beat us in every single fight in every corner of the pitch.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s boys will need some extra energy provided by the fans. Sending our support will be appropriate even though not all of us will be in Moscow next Wednesday.

It’s the internet era and probably our messages can reach the team directly and inspire the lads to give out their best as ever. We need to show that we are behind them.

Send your support message to Manchester Evening News, come on you reds, click here now!

Below is 33 pages match press kit document which include documentaries from both finalists 2008’s Champions League Final. I remember almost all of them on the Reds side.

Got this via Soccerlens.

For original file, you can download here (PDF).

I’m curious given the buzz about ‘another Ron-Real connection’ and just watch Ron’s interview at TV. I think it’s official. Yes. He wants to leave. Why not.

We’ve been there and done that with the likes of David Beckham and Ruud Van Nistelrooy. Losing great players to Real Madrid seems like a habit for Manchester United (and perhaps also to other clubs). Their ‘no respect for anyone but themselves’ (it was SAF’s quote) attitude reveal their dirty tricks which is their style of making huge amount of money by selling their so-called football club. Real Madrid is disgusting, really. But what’s new about it anyway?

Ronaldo is not a stupid boy. He has latin connection by his nature. Of course he will dream to play in Spanish or Italian league. It’s just the timing is so stupid. Given the time that we are facing our 3rd Champions League final is just rubbish and turn this reds down.

But Ron’s desire to be out from OT is not new to Reds fans. I remember when he did that jerky thing to Rooney in World Cup. He wanted out from OT and wants a move to Barcelona or Real Madrid. Even this Reds hate him so much until Sir Alex ‘Messiah’ Ferguson came to the stage and convince the boy to stay Reds. Soon after that, things change drastically. Ronaldo has taken the center stage and prove to all Reds week in week out that he worth every penny. We forgive his miss penalties, because he has given us so much of his talent for the whole season.

However, I know the time will come and the more i hear this the more i felt peace to lose him. Even to Real Madrid.

But before that, some questions should be answered:

1. Who will replace him next season. We have the team but do we have a winner in his class since that is the problem with mediocre teams that never win the league (like us after missing Beckham)?
2. After 2 seasons in a row blasting Reds opponents in the field and help in great deal of bringing EPL silverware back to back to OT, is he going to be that good next season at Reds? Will he be motivated enough? Scoring 50 goals? Hmmm…
3. If he don’t play like this season next year, can we put a reasonably enough price tag to buy his replacement? Will he be that expensive in the next 2 seasons?

I DON’T KNOW MAN. I guess i’m trying to be logical while i’m mad about stupidity.

The good thing is, we haven’t hear anything yet from Sir Alex Ferguson and i trust him and his decisions with all my heart.

Oh anyway, i almost forget, we have Champions League to win next Wednesday. Now that is a positive thoughts; We need to win the Champions League. We can be more determined to win within all this bullshit. I mean, this is Manchester United goddamit! We need to prove to world… again, that we’re the best Football Club in The World!

So come on you Reds, let’s beat Chelsea and win this year’s the Champions League (because Real Madrid can’t!!).

Image by Today is a good day via Flickr

It was a night to remember. Given the fact how important this game to us after getting bad results away from home in the last couple of weeks. I will not go into the details of today’s game because dude, no reds fans should miss this game. But if you did miss it, there are always replay. But nothing beat the feeling to watch this match live, trust me man! This is the time when i wish i was at Old Trafford screaming and shouting with 70k other reds, and together with millions of Reds fans all around the world, feeling the thrilling second half, that felt like a year of dog year (it was so fucking long man, ha ha…!).

So our definite hero is Paul Scholes. His stunning long range super shot gave the Spanish goalkeeper no chance whatsoever to stop the ball. We, Reds, will always remember how he missed the final when we dramatically beat Bayern Munich 2-1. Now, with his goal, he brought us to our first final of Champions League since we won it back in 1999. But all the team, especially Carrick, Park and our back four (thanks man!), have shown their strength and consistency throughout the game and together we can prove that Prof. Xavi is wrong. Football is also about result professor… (and it was not a boring 1-0 win i suppose!).

However, we need to finish the party early, as we need to win another 3 games to finish the season with double silverware. Surely we have a team that capable to do that. The next focus is to let Nani know where the goal is (certainly not at the roof of football stadiums) and how to beat West Ham at home this Saturday.

To hell with other team’s result, the destiny is in our hands.

Come on you reds!

Update: Just after i publish this post, the Ginger Paul goal is already published online. Thanks for the beautiful people at YouTube!

Yes, why not. Because Xavi (who?) has teach the world on how to play the right football. I am not saying whether he’s right or wrong because i don’t believe these type of dudes and i don’t debate nor argue my believes. Screw all maths, stats and logical BS.

I believe what i believe doesn’t have to be right in front of all people. So i can choose which one that i love, and not boring Spanish football. So if i fall in love with ‘long ball more physical less skill’ English football, then why not? However, EPL side has left 3 teams on UCL’s semi. Now please explain that to the world with your exact football calculus Professor Xavi…

Let’s respond this right way by putting the Catalan side out of this year’s Champions League.

Come on you Reds!