Following the derby drubbing to Manchester City the mood at Old Trafford is unsurprisingly glum. The stage is all set for Guardiola’s men to truly showcase to the whole world the difference of class between Europe’s best and England’s current champions.
As is so often with European nights at Old Trafford, the footballing universe will look on as Pep’s men lock horns with Moyes’s men. Many will see it simply as a formality for the German champions however a small selection of Manchester United supporters, including me, will hope against hope for an upset. An improbable upset. We will dare to dream, the impossible dream.
We understand that our dream is more in hope than expectation however in our times as Manchester United supporters we have seen the impossible happen, again and again and again. Cast your minds back to the 1999 Champions League Final when a treble hunting Manchester United side was looking for the impossible, two goals in extra time against a defiant Bayern Munich side. Many thought it was over but the supporters and players still believed. We believed and we achieved, the impossible dream. Goals from Teddy and Ole insured that!
Now 15 years later we face a similar prospect. We face an almost unbeatable Bayern Munich side, in what could be the biggest game of either teams season. As things stand a respectful loss for us seems unlikely, a draw improbable and a win impossible. The reality of the situation is on paper we are no where near Bayern’s class.
However the beauty of football is that it is never played on paper. It is played out on the pitch where the ‘better team’ doesn’t always win. Bayern might be able to field a more confident and many will argue a ‘better’ eleven but at Old Trafford will they be able to field 70,000 supporters who will make sure that they are heard?
Our strength will lie around the pitch where every single Manchester United supporter will sing their heart out.We must make it a daunting sight for the Bayern men and we must remind them that their opposition is one of the most historic and one of the most special club’s in world football. We must remind them they are facing Manchester United .The best we as supporters can do support the team and stand by the players. They will be the ones who will represent us on the global footballing stage.
As supporters when our players step out onto the pitch we must remind them why they snubbed other clubs to play for us, we must remind them of the club they are representing, we must remind them they play for Manchester United.
Would I mind if our players went our there and suffered a defeat? No. However I certainly would mind if our players went onto the pitch with a defeatist attitude. If this is to be the last European night at Old Trafford for some time, lets make it a special one! One that will make us and the players proud to be a part of the Manchester United family.
This post was written by Rafae Qazi and you can follow his Man Utd Blog here.
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