Three months ago, the news that the Manchester United team that won the treble in 1999 would return to Old Trafford delighted the "Red Devils" fans. After 20 years, they have the opportunity to relive the beautiful nostalgia of the team.
It has been 6 years since leaving the bench to manage Man United, legendary coach Sir Alex Ferguson has returned to the position that made his name immortal. No longer walking in the VIP style to the stands, the "old man" stepped out from the tunnel and waved his hand at the fans.
Fergie now has the squad that defeated Bayern Munich on the other side of the front line in the historic comeback in the 1999 Champions League final. There are still monuments such as Peter Schmeichel, Gary Neville... or even the current coach of the club, Ole Solskjaer.
In the context of the "Red Devils" struggling to find the foundational values and style of a top team, the 20th anniversary match between M.U and Bayern is not only a missed value, it is also a time for the current generation of M.U players to experience and live with the core values of the team.
Not having to come back like 20 years ago, not having to wait until the last minutes to enjoy the feeling of victory, the legendary Manchester United team overwhelmed their opponents from the opening whistle. 5 goals by Solskjaer (4'), Yorke (30'), Butt (79'), Saha (84') and Beckham (90') ended a full day of fun.
Sitting in the stands, Sir Alex kept smiling because perhaps he himself wanted the day to enjoy the fruits of his 27-year contributions to Manchester United.
Up front, the "Murder instinct" of Ole Solskjaer, Luis Saha or Dwight Yorke is still intact. The "veterans" who were once active have slower with age, but they do not lose the feeling of top stars.
Choosing a good position, finishing 1 touch in the air or escaping the offside trap, Yorke, Saha or Solsa have brought spiritual gifts from the past.
In midfield, after the match, many M.U fans joked that when they saw Scholes or Beckham cross the ball, current club stars like Young or Pogba could lose their entire careers and not yet reach such a level.
Every touching, every cross, from visual, accurate to execution, Scholes or Becks bring admiration in the stands. When Beckham scored the winning goal to score 5-0 with a skillful decoy and shot into the top corner, Sir Alex himself was amazed and continuously applauded his 44-year-old student.
Sir Alex once said that scoring goals is an important factor to win, but if they want to win the championship, that team must know how to defend. During his 27 years in charge at Old Trafford, many defensive superstars were introduced by Fergie, including Japp Stam.
The 46-year-old Dutch veteran is one of the most famous " pillars" in Manchester United's history. And in a friendly match like the match against Bayern on the evening of May 26, the "steel" in him has not been lost.
Looking at how Stam dribbles the ball or weighs the opponent's strikers alone, what will seniors like Smalling or Jones think when they often make mistakes and are the focus of criticism.
Manchester United won 5-0 in a "final" match at Old Trafford. As usual, legend Alex Ferguson lifted the championship trophy. This hot-tempered man smiled complacently.
Perhaps, during more than 27 years in charge here, Fergie has never been so comfortable. Not having to fight with opponents, not needing to scold students or threaten the referee, the 90 minutes at Old Trafford last night were the time when the film of his life was postponed from when he arrived in Manchester to the day he took the club to the national championship 20 times.
Legends, chants, victories and even smiles, Old Trafford in a happy day has gathered all the old values. During his journey with the "Red Devils", Fergie failed many times, but it was his students at the "old man" age who helped him overcome everything and helped this coach relive the moments of life.
Manchester United still has such good things. That will be a lesson for Ole Solskjaer and his students from next season. When Sir Alex Ferguson is still smiling, the "Red Devils" spirit is still most clearly present at the "Theater of Dreams".
