Rome is where the hurt is for Rio

11 May 2011 15:30
Rio Ferdinand has never watched the 2009 Champions League final but images in his mind remain as vivid as they were when he was going through the whole shattering experience. No-one, from Sir Alex Ferguson down, remembers the Rome showpiece with any fondness. Going into the match as favourites, Manchester United were ambushed by a Barcelona side that has gone on to be hailed as one of the best ever. It is not something Ferdinand has ever felt like revisiting, butut he realises it is unavoidable in the build-up to a Champions League final rematch on May 28. "I have never watched 2009 again," he said. "But matches like that are hard to forget. It is clear in your head. If you want to sit and think about games like that they come up quite easily. It is like bringing something up on the internet. "I have rerun it in my head a few times and we just never played. We weren't Manchester United. On the way back we were sitting there thinking `if only we had gone out and been the real Manchester United, it would have been different'. "They always say you don't want to come off the pitch with any regrets. There were regrets that night. This time we will give a better account of ourselves."

Source: PA