I was watching highlights of some past United matches and came across this match in 01-02 where we lost in sf to them on away goals. Although we were shakey defensively and that Leverkusen side were good but I feel (from the highlights) we should have progressed to the finals and played Madrid.
Now granted I was too young to be an avid football follower back then, so wanted to know the gravity of that loss back then. I know we weren't that great that season considering we finished 3rd but somehow I feel that was a missed opportunity to not face madrid in the finals and even beat them.
What do you guys think?
I used to have nightmares thinking about all the champions league clashes we should have won blindfolded against weaker teams, but utterly botched instead.
But then I realized we had our asses handed to us against Bayern in the final and still managed to win somehow. And we were extremely lucky to face a Chelsea team managed by an absolute nobody in Avram Grant instead of Jose Mourinho, who was in his prime and who had been sacked earlier that season. So these things even themselves out. Winning 2 Champions Leagues, with both squads loaded with kids that were turned into superstars, is no mean feat.
Then factor in that we were never a Real Madrid who can buy Zidane, Kaka and Ronaldo each summer, and that Fergie won 13 league titles, even though some seasons we had to endure stress as Fletcher, Rooney, Cristiano, Giggs, Gary Neville etc went painfully slow from frustrating teenager to world class warrior and you can accept that our trophy haul is very impressive and about right.
Wenger could never win one despite cherry picking the best that France has to offer for decades.
Mourinho could not win a CL at Chelsea despite 10 times more cash than anyone.
Pep is yet to win a CL at City despite being the greatest genius wizard phenomenon supposedly with a bottomless pit of cash.