Sir Alex Ferguson's Man City prediction looks foolish as Pep Guardiola's side prepare for Real Madrid clash

Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson’s past prediction could appear foolish should Manchester City beat Real Madrid in the Champions League this evening.

City welcome Real to the Etihad in the second-leg of the Champions League semi final this evening, with the aggregate score perfectly poises at 1-1.

And should Pep Guardiola’s men edge past the reigning European champions, they would be well on course to claiming a historic treble, having all but won the Premier League and qualified for the FA Cup final.

Since Sheikh Mansour’s City takeover back in 2008, the club have incrementally grown from a middling Premier League side to a European giant, boasting some of the world’s most coveted players.

And City’s rise has coincided with United’s decline, with the Old Trafford club having not claimed a Premier League title since 2013, when legendary manager Ferguson announced his retirement.

Arguably the Scot greatest achievement as United boss was claiming the treble in 1999. Indeed, to this day the club are the first and only side in English football to do so.

Back then, City were languishing in the third tier, and it was inconceivable that they could be the next outfit to repeat United’s unprecedented feat.

Alex Ferguson on Man City success

In 2009, Ferguson was asked whether United would ever go into a Manchester derby as underdogs.

For 15 tense seconds the curmudgeon manager eyed his inquisitor, before clambering from his seat.

"What time is it? I think it is time for me to leave," he said.

Ferguson then infamously added: “Not in my lifetime”.

Of course, the often prophetic Ferguson could not have been more wrong. City have entered almost every derby since the 81-year-old’s departure as favourites.

More broadly speaking, City have claimed 14 major trophies since Ferguson’s comments, and could win three more by the end of June.

Meanwhile, United’s Carabao Cup triumph this term was their first silverware of any kind since 2017. Indeed, the Wembley victory against Newcastle put an end to club’s longest trophy drought in 40 years.

Topics: Football, Manchester City, Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United, Champions League, Real Madrid

Chris Byfield

Sport journalist with experience writing on football, rugby, boxing and the Olympics. I'm also a Crystal Palace fan. Please don't hold this against me.