Man Utd face Jose Mourinho and the curse of the holders
Inter Milan/Man Utd, 7.45pm, ITV1, Free Bets, Best Odds
The football in the last two Sir Alex Ferguson/Jose Mourinho encounters - in the 2007 FA Cup Final and the Community Shield three months later - may have been awful but there is no denying the sense of anticipation brewing as the two great managers prepare to collide once more. Here’s everything you need to know about tonight’s game:
GRAVEYARD OF THE CHAMPIONS
In each of the last four years, the Champions League holders have been eliminated at this stage of the competition. Inter Milan were the team who started that tradition by knocking out Porto four seasons ago. Sir Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho’s first ever meeting came in the round of 16 five years ago, when Mourinho’s Porto won the home leg 2-1 before holding Manchester United to a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford.
PREVIOUS ENCOUNTERS
Manchester United and Inter Milan last came to blows ten years ago at the quarter-final stage. On that occasion, Sir Alex Ferguson’s side played the first leg at home and won 2-0, before drawing 1-1 at the San Siro. On that day Nicola Ventola put the Italian side ahead in the 63rd minute only for Paul Scholes to equalise with two minutes to go.
MOURINHO v FERGUSON
Tags: Champions League, Chelsea, Clean Sheets, Community Shield, Curse of the holders, European Records, Extra-time, FA Cup Final, FC Porto, Football, Inter Milan, Jose Mourinho, Manchester United, Nicola Ventola, Old Trafford, Over under 2.5, Panathinaikos, Paul Scholes, San Siro, Sir Alex Ferguson, Stamford Bridge, The Special One
Posted: February 24th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | 1 Comment 
