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CL Analysis: For Once, Man United Are Favorites Against Milan
Golden Balls' return steals the headlines.
Dec 18, 2009 10:18:07 AM
Six years of anticipation have reached fruition with David Beckham’s return to Manchester United for the Champions League second round clash with AC Milan.
Much has changed for both parties since the most iconic footballer of all time capped his final appearance for the club with a trademark free kick at Goodison Park. From Los Galacticos of Real Madrid to the Los Angeles Galaxy, what has never altered is his love of the outfit he supported as a boy.
A mutual outpouring of joy can be expected if Beckham walks out of the tunnel next to the Stretford End that cheered him on to superstardom. This time, he will be wearing the red and black stripes of the Rossoneri.
Speaking before Friday's draw in Nyon, ‘Golden Balls’ expressed his wish to hit the jackpot with a meeting with United. He can now pencil in a February date after his return to the Italian peninsula on loan.
The team he left as Premier League champions have been rebuilt into the dominant force at both home and abroad in his absence.
Mutual history in this fixture is not just exclusively shared by the most famous footballer and club in the world. Milan can draw strength from the humblings their veterans handed out to the upstarts from the north west of England in both 2005 and 2007.
In those contests, the heavyweight contenders reigned supreme. Experience centered in the figures of Paolo Maldini, Gennaro Gattuso, Andrea Pirlo and Filippo Inzaghi proved too much for Sir Alex Ferguson’s wide-eyed prodigies.
Much has changed for both parties since the most iconic footballer of all time capped his final appearance for the club with a trademark free kick at Goodison Park. From Los Galacticos of Real Madrid to the Los Angeles Galaxy, what has never altered is his love of the outfit he supported as a boy.
A mutual outpouring of joy can be expected if Beckham walks out of the tunnel next to the Stretford End that cheered him on to superstardom. This time, he will be wearing the red and black stripes of the Rossoneri.
Speaking before Friday's draw in Nyon, ‘Golden Balls’ expressed his wish to hit the jackpot with a meeting with United. He can now pencil in a February date after his return to the Italian peninsula on loan.
The team he left as Premier League champions have been rebuilt into the dominant force at both home and abroad in his absence.
Mutual history in this fixture is not just exclusively shared by the most famous footballer and club in the world. Milan can draw strength from the humblings their veterans handed out to the upstarts from the north west of England in both 2005 and 2007.
In those contests, the heavyweight contenders reigned supreme. Experience centered in the figures of Paolo Maldini, Gennaro Gattuso, Andrea Pirlo and Filippo Inzaghi proved too much for Sir Alex Ferguson’s wide-eyed prodigies.
Past glory | 'Becks' was part of 1999 triumph
The Scot never forgets an episode of humiliation. United aren’t riding the crest of the wave at the moment, but can point to being in the slipstream of Chelsea for domestic success and an excellent recent record of reaching the business end of European competition.
Such joys are not shared by Milan. Since lifting the Champions League crown three seasons ago, a broken record of participation has called into question the reliability of their old guard.
Stuttering form under current boss Leonardo, and the absence of a Serie A challenge since lifting the title in 2004, confirms their status as underdogs.
Previously, such a tag would have been seen as the height of mindless positivity from the English media. Now, the tables have turned.
The star turns of yesterday are long past their peak. Even new hope, Alexandre Pato, is far from a certainty to head to next summer’s World Cup finals with Brazil.
United have earned the confidence to shrug at the challenge from any other team in the hat. The fear that paralyzed the pretenders of ’05 and ’07 has transformed into the assuredness of proven winners.
Beckham’s reunion should also feature sharing the Old Trafford turf with ex-team-mates Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes. The laws of probability point solely in the direction of United’s duo walking off as victors come the conclusion of a poignant bout of European action.
Matt Monaghan, Goal.com
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