‘No player deserves to be left out of the final’: Sir Alex Ferguson admits omitting Park Ji-Sung from Champions League triumph over Chelsea in 2008 is a decision he ‘regrets to this day’
- Park Ji-Sung was left out of Manchester United’s squad for final in Moscow
- Teams could then only pick seven substitutes for Champions League finals
- The South Korean forward had started both semi-finals against Barcelona
Sir Alex Ferguson won it all in a distinguished 27-year career in charge of Manchester United.
But even the Scot admits he didn’t get everything right and has recalled one regret from over a decade ago.
Despite tasting victory over Chelsea in the 2008 Champions League final in Moscow, Ferguson admits he was faced with a selection headache that day.
Park Ji-Sung celebrates with the Champions League after Manchester United’s 2008 victory
Park Ji-Sung was the fall guy, despite starting both semi-final legs against Barcelona
‘To win the European Cup is fantastic,’ Ferguson told MUTV.
‘It was a really great bunch of players with a great attitude about them and a good, strong squad.
‘My problem in the 2008 final, maybe I even regret it to this day, was I left Park Ji-Sung out completely in the final.
Sir Alex Ferguson admits leaving the South Korean out of the Moscow final was a regret
Park did not feature in the final against Chelsea, which United won after a penalty shootout
‘He’d played such a great role and that’s the problem when you get to these finals. No player deserves to be left out of the final.’
Ryan Giggs, Nani and Anderson all came off the bench but Park was not even among the seven substitutes.
Regulations have now changed so that sides can field 11 substitutes.
