We reviewed the United-Bayern final of 1999

[H O L D F I R E 流]

It was thanks to two goals in overtime that Manchester United won the 1999 Champions League final against Bayern (2-1) at Camp Nou. Back on a legendary meeting. The context of the match: A clash of titans A year after a very closed final between Juventus and Real Madrid, won 1-0 by the Merengues, the final of the 1998-1999 Champions League promises to be spectacular. Manchester United and Bayern were then the two behemoths of their respective championships, which they won that year. The two teams combine power, mental strength, tactical intelligence, technical quality and offensive diversity. Enticing.

The Red Devils of Sir Alex Ferguson start somewhat favored, since they dominated Inter in the quarterfinals and then the Old Lady in the last four, while the German team, led by Ottmar Hitzfeld, dismissed Kaiserslautern then the Dynamo Kiev by Andriy Shevchenko. The two teams faced off in the group stage, neutralizing each other twice (2-2 at Olympiastadion, 1-1 at Old Trafford) to relegate Barça to 3rd place in the pool. Man Utd's game: Beckham as leader - Suspended, Captain Roy Keane leaves a huge void in the middle, especially as Paul Scholes is also absent. "Fergie" puts David Beckham back in line with his 4-4-2 fixture and that’s a pretty good choice. From this remote position, "Becks" triggers all attacks, either by finding Ryan Giggs, replaced on the right, or by sliding the ball to the center-centers Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole, accustomed to combining in one or two touches. - Ryan Giggs is twirling on the right wing and can bed on his left foot but he is the only one to hit. Jesper Blomqvist, the middle left, is unable to overflow. As for the two sides, they do not add much. Gary Neville never accompanies Ryan Giggs on the right and veteran Denis Irwin does his best on the left since he is right-handed. Note that Nicky Butt, 6 of the team, is content to give the ball to David Beckham.

The Bayern game: Clear away! - Bayern also has two absent brand: Bixente Lizarazu and Giovane Élber, both injured. Carsten Jancker is alone at the forefront and, unfortunately, Munich’s game plan is to send long balls to the 1.93m giant or to throw deep Alexander Zickler, a very mobile left winger. There are rarely any ball conservation sessions and we almost never look for a relay behind the Mancunian midfield to approach the goal. Only Effenberg and Basler temporize on rare occasions. - Below, Lothar Matthäus is not playing like an old fashioned libero. There is clearly a central hinge for two composed of Linke and Kuffour, and Matthäus backs up between his two teammates on the long MU balls, to compensate for Kuffour's exits as well as to ensure the revival. But, most of the time, Matthäus behaves like a real 6 and participates fully in the middle battle by helping Effenberg and Jeremies with the pressing. The game intelligence of the Mannschaft legend is remarkable.