Wayne Rooney believes the legacy of Manchester United’s double-winning side of 2008 and treble triumph of 1999 is in danger of being eclipsed this season by their fierce rivals, Manchester City.
United won both the Premier League and Champions League in 2008, lifting the latter following a nail-biting penalty shootout victory over Chelsea on a rain-drenched night in Moscow.
Nine years earlier, the Red Devils completed a historic treble when a stoppage-time winner from Ole Gunnar Solskjær against Bayern Munich saw them claim the Champions League at the Nou Camp in what remains one of the competition’s most memorable contests.
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European club football’s biggest prize has so far eluded Manchester City, with the closest Pep Guardiola’s side having come to the trophy being the 2021 final which they lost 1-0 to Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea.
Rooney, however, claims that if City go all the way in the Champions League as well as lift the Premier League title this term, they will surpass the achievements of United’s 2008 team and stand shoulder to shoulder with the side from 1999.
Writing in The Times, Rooney said: “If Man City win the UCL and the title, I think you put them up there with the 1999 United side. Our 2008 team was great, but City do beyond what we did.”
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United’s all-time record goalscorer also believes that Champions League holders Real Madrid, who Guardiola’s side face in the semi-final first leg at the Bernabéu on Tuesday evening, will be simply blown away by City’s quality.
“Manchester City will not beat Real Madrid, they will destroy them,” he said.
“You can never write off a collective with Madrid’s experience and history— but I wouldn’t put money on them. I believe this is City’s year.”
Speaking about how Los Blancos, who have featured in 11 of the last 13 Champions League semi-finals, will try to stop City’s record-breaking goalmachine, Erling Haaland, Rooney added: “How do Madrid stop Haaland? Well, in Antonio Rüdiger they have a great competitor who, as a defender, likes one-on-one battles. Even so, I don’t think the Germany defender can handle Haaland.”
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Perhaps unsurprisingly, Rooney’s words have ruffled the feathers of many Red Devils fans who have questioned the current DC United Head Coach’s loyalty to his former club.
“Is Rooney still a United fan? Other week he said Glazers are doing a good job now this nonsense,” one fan wrote on Twitter.
Another wrote: “Funny how I've not seen a single United fan account tweet about that, if this was Cristiano they would tweet in a second, Rooney disrespect United more than anyone else.”
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Another added: “Biggest backstabber in United history.”
While a fourth simply posted: “yoo wazza, are u drunk?”
Featured Image Credit: AlamyTopics: Champions League, Manchester City, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Wayne Rooney, Fan Reactions