Manchester United Football Club News

• Nickname:Red Devils
• Founded:1878
• Manager:Sir Alex Ferguson

• Ground:Old Trafford
• Capacity:68,174

Fergie seeks place in history

27 May 2009 - 07:18:32

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Sir Alex Ferguson has challenged his current Manchester United side to join the pantheon of great teams by winning the Champions League Final.

United are bidding to become the first team to successfully defend Europe's premier club competition since it was re-branded in the early 1990s when they take on Barcelona in Rome.

"Nobody has retained the trophy," said Ferguson. "But we're good at firsts. We have an opportunity to repeat that.

"It's interesting - unusual - that nobody has retained the trophy since the Champions League started.

"It was done regularly in the sixties and seventies. There were cycles of great teams, like Ajax, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid. We have an opportunity to change that. I hope we take it."

Meanwhile, Ferguson believes United will be driven on by the feeling that they have under-achieved in Europe.

The Red Devils have won the Championship League just twice - in 1999 and 2008 - under the veteran Scot despite regularly appearing in the latter stages of the competition.

He added: "There are times we should have done better in Europe.

"There's an opportunity for us to put ourselves alongside Europe's great teams.

"This particular team has that type of future and the experience to do well over the next few years and hopefully on Wednesday we can endorse that."