Ultimate United
United and the Super Cup 7 Aug 2017 19:14
As Manchester United prepare to face Real Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup, we take a look at the clubs previous outings in the competition.
By Frank Mead, Editor
Manchester United’s victory in the Europa League final in May meant a number of things. The club were back in the Champions League, which was always the main objective for the season, regardless of how it was achieved. It also meant that United had won the only trophy missing from their collection, becoming only the fifth club to win all three of UEFA’s major competitions.
The Europa League triumph also guaranteed United a place in the UEFA Super Cup, known to some fans as the “European Charity Shield”. This trophy was founded in 1972, and would place the winners of the European Cup Winners’ Cup against the Champions of Europe, in a two-legged home and away format. In 1998, it became a one-off game, played at a neutral venue. When the Cup Winners’ Cup was retired in 1999, it then placed the winners of the UEFA Cup, now known as the Europa League, into the competition.
Manchester United have competed in this showpiece on three separate occasions. Although it represents another trophy for the cabinet, history shows that the Red Devils have never exactly prioritised this particular piece of silverware.
2008: United 1 – 2 Zenit Saint Petersburg
Following their Champions League final victory over Chelsea in Moscow, it seemed fitting that United would be playing a Russian side in the Super Cup. Ironically, it was in Manchester that Zenit had won the UEFA Cup, a 2-0 win over Rangers, played at City’s ground, before it was renamed the Etihad Stadium.
The big team news for United was that there was no Cristiano Ronaldo, who had undergone ankle surgery in the summer. The Red Devils still put out a strong side, however, pairing Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez upfront.
Zenit dominated the opening exchanges, with Portuguese playmaker Danny, at that time the Russian Premier League’s most expensive player, dictating proceedings. Rooney and Tevez both had half chances at the other end, but failed to make the most of them.
Zenit took the lead just before half time, when Igor Denisov flicked on a corner over the head of Edwin van der Sar, presenting Pavel Pogrebnyak with an open goal to head home. The game barely had time to restart before the interval, but there was still enough of a window for Paul Scholes to pick up his customary booking.
Zenit doubled their lead just before the hour mark, with Danny once again showing exactly why his club had invested €30 million in him earlier that week. Picking the ball up in the centre of the field, he went on a powerful surge towards goal, leading Rio Ferdinand a merry dance, before powering a low shot into the United net.
United pulled one back in the 73rd minute when Rooneys cross inside the box found Tevez on the by-line. The Argentinian striker cut it back to Nemanja Vidi?, who slotted it through a crowd of players into the back of the net.
The main talking point of the game was when United put the ball in the net for a second time. In the 88th minute, Wes Brown floated over a corner, which was too high for Scholes to head, so he stuck his arm up and connected with the ball in a way Diego Maradona would have been proud of. The ball sailed into the net, giving Zenit goalkeeper Vyacheslav Malafeev no chance. Unfortunately for Scholes, the referee spotted what had happened and promptly showed the United midfielder a second yellow card. This meant that he would miss United’s opening Champions League game against Villarreal the following month.
Zenit held on to win the UEFA Super Cup for the first time in their history. United won three trophies in all during the course of the season, but the Super Cup was not to be one of them.
1999: United 0 – 1 S.S. Lazio
1999 was an unbelievable year to be a Manchester United fan. In spite of everything the club has achieved before, and since, it would be almost impossible to top The Treble. Between 1998 and 2012, the UEFA Super Cup was played at Monaco’s Stade Louis II stadium.
This would be the last time that match featured the Cup Winners’ Cup holders, with the final winners of that trophy being Italian side Lazio. Lining up against the Red Devils was a soon to be familiar face in the form of Juan Sebastián Verón, for whom United would break the British transfer record two years later.
This match was a bit of damp squib, in comparison to the highs of the previous season. The United goal had a bit of an unfamiliar look about it, with Peter Schmeichel having departed for Sporting Lisbon in the summer. With his replacement, Mark Bosnich, injured it was Raimond van der Gouw between the sticks.
United never really got going in this one, and despite the fact that they would retain the Premier League that season with relative ease, they had still to find their form in the early weeks of the campaign. The match was settled in the 35th minute, when one-time United target Marcelo Salas chested down a flick on from Roberto Mancini, and slammed the ball into the United goal.
While it was a disappointing performance, the fact that Sir Alex Ferguson kept his star striker, Dwight Yorke, on the bench tells you exactly where this trophy was in his list of priorities.
1991: United 1 – 0 Red Star Belgrade
When Manchester United won the 1968 European Cup against Benfica, the UEFA Super Cup did not exist. Following the club’s victory over Barcelona in the Cup Winners’ Cup final in Rotterdam, the club were placed into the competition for the very first time. Their opponents were Red Star Belgrade of Yugoslavia, who had beaten Marseille on penalties to become European Champions for the first time.
The circumstances surrounding this game were unusual, to say the least. The Balkan war which would eventually see the break up Yugoslavia into several smaller, independent countries was now underway. As a result, Red Star were allowed to defend their trophy but, due to safety fears, they were not allowed to play European ties in their home country. Instead of the usual two legged tie, UEFA decided that the Super Cup should be a one-off game, played at Old Trafford.
Red Star had lost several players from that superb team that had claimed the European Cup, many of them leaving in big money transfers. In spite of this, they showed that they were still a class act and their main playmaker, Dejan Savi?evi? ran rings around United’s midfield. Ask any fan who watched the game how United won and they probably wouldn’t be able to offer an answer.
United had a chance as early as the second minute, when Gary Pallister’s header was met by the arm of Red Star defender Miodrag Belodedici. Steve Bruce took the resulting penalty, only to see it saved by Zvonko Milojevi?, who dived to his right hand side to save it.
The only goal of the game came midway through the second half. Savi?evi?, easily the man of the match up until that point, made his only error of the evening and was robbed in possession by Neil Webb. The midfielder made a powerful run towards goal, and unleashed a shot which struck the post, leaving the goalkeeper stranded. Brian McClair tucked away the rebound the give United the lead.
Red Star drove forward, in search of an equaliser. Their main striker, Darko Pan?ev, was one of Europe’s top hitmen at the time, and on another day he would have had a hat trick given the chances his team laid on for him. United stood firm, however, to claim the trophy for the one and only time in their history thus far.
2017: United vs Real Madrid
Real Madrid became the first side since AC Milan in 1990 to retain the European Cup following their victory over Juventus in May. They will face Manchester United at the 33,000 capacity Philip II Arena in Skopje, Macedonia. They have won the Super Cup on three previous occasions, in 2002, 2014 and 2016.
United will definitely be without the services of Eric Bailly, who serves the second of a three match European ban following his sending off against Celta Vigo last season. Phil Jones has also been banned for this game following an incident that took place after the Europa League Final in May.
Luke Shaw, Ashley Young and Marcos Rojo are all still side-lined with injury. Nemanja Mati?, Victor Lindelöf and Romelu Lukaku are expected to make their competitive debut for United, be it from the start or from the bench. One player who has not travelled is Tim Fosu-Mensah, with the Dutchman currently undergoing a medical ahead of a proposed season-long loan to Crystal Palace.
The big question for Real Madrid was whether or not Cristiano Ronaldo will face his old side. When the two sides met during the pre-season tour of the USA, Ronaldo was taking an extended break, following his participation with Portugal in the Confederations Cup. It has since been confirmed that he will at least be in the squad to face United.
Final Thought
Both Manchester United and Real Madrid will expect to play in bigger games than the UEFA Super Cup this season. Nevertheless, it is a piece of silverware, albeit not a major one. A victory for United could give José Mourinho’s side the confidence to get their Premier League campaign off to flying start on Sunday.
Guess the Player (1970's)