Champions League - Ronaldo blames tactics

Eurosport - Thu, 28 May 17:57:00 2009

Reaction from the players after Barcelona stunned holders Manchester United to win their third Champions League crown with a 2-0 victory.

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 Liga de Campeones Barcelona-Manchester United Cristiano Ronaldo / Foto: EFE - 0

Cristiano Ronaldo: "The tactics were not good, everything went wrong. We have to give credit to Barcelona, but they were a bit lucky to be here because Chelsea did not deserve to lose and no-one has mentioned that. I have to congratulate Barcelona, they were better but only the winners get talked about."

Rio Ferdinand: "I don't think there's one of us out there can say we played well to be honest, as individuals or collectively. (The first goal) was a bit of a sucker punch, we'd had a few good chances before that. But no excuses, not on today's performance they were the better team. Special moments decide these games and they were deserved winners today."

Wayne Rooney: "Barcelona are a brilliant team and in my opinion Andres Iniesta is the best player in the world. Against a team like that if you don't take your chances, they will punish you. That is what happened. It is very disappointing and the feeling at the moment is not a good one. We are hurting. But we have to forget it and look forward to next season."

Ryan Giggs: "We are disappointed with the result and the performance. We didn't turn up tonight. They turned up, they played some great football. We didn't really. At times Barcelona can make you look silly because they keep the ball so well. At times we maybe chased it and didn't keep our shape as we should have."

Edwin van der Sar: "Rome doesn't bring me luck. We started well then after the first goal we suffered and we didn't play at the level we are used to."

Lionel Messi: "This is the most important win of my life. I am the happiest man alive and I am happy for myself, for my family and for my country."

Thierry Henry: "I've been waiting so long to get this title and finally today. The last five minutes were the longest of my life. You never know what can happen - we were playing against best team in the world. It's amazing. All year we played the same way, we wanted to play football. I don't think we started well. We had to play better, then we passed the ball the way we can. It's my daughter's birthday today so it's a double celebration."

Andres Iniesta: "I am speechless, the Cup is so beautiful. It's the perfect ending to a spectacular season."

Samuel Eto'o: "What we have done is historic, this is fantastic. I'm not sure that my goal was crucial for us to win the Champions League but it was certainly important. The whole team played fantastic, from Xavi to Iniesta, who was coming back from injury. It's been a great team effort from the start of the season."

****Compiled from RTP, AFP, Reuters, PA Sport, Sky Sports and ITV****

Eurosport

Comment 1125 - 1144 of 1164

Sort comments by: Most recent

  1. As for Chelsea deserving to be in the final, thats­ absolutely, 100% right. It was a VERY poor referee who­ cost them that match. He didnt just make one little­ mistake, he made at least 3 big ones.

    From Supergosey S, on Sat 30 May 4:57PM

  2. Ronaldo is right about the tactics, Utd should have­ played to their strenghts. The EPL is so strong because­ of the defensive qualities of the top teams.

    Utd gave­ away 2 silly goals, and it was that what cost them the­ match, not the passing qualities of Barcelona. Barce­ could have passed all day and night but wouldnt have­ got anywhere without Utd's mistakes.

    Utd should­ have played a counter attacking game.

    From Supergosey S, on Sat 30 May 4:52PM

  3. Gentle and other not so 'Gentle' Chelsea fans.­ Will you whining and moaning about referee cheating­ your team till you die. Why don't you ask the­ question to yourself, why is your team 'cursed'­ as Lampard says. Why is it only you are at the­ receiving end not other teams. If you don't know,­ let me tell you how it all started. The gods were happy­ with Chelsea...small club..small fan base...small­ achievements. Then this tycoon from Russia comes,­ spends millions on this small club and overnight WORLC­ CLASS PLAYERS ARE IMPORTED and Chelsea is in the­ limelight. No problem, we love it. The whole world­ loves a rising star. But then slowly arrives a vicious­ manager who teaches dirty, negative tricks to his­ players and the whole world realized that it is a­ rising criminal. The proof CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ROUND OF 16­ 2005 BETWEEN BARCELONA AND CHELSEA. IN THE FIRST LEG­ CHELSEA BEATEN 2-1 AT CAMP NOU. DROGBA IS SENT OFF AND­ THE FIRST CRIME OF THE RISING CRIMINAL STARTS. VICIOUS­ MANAGER MOURINHO SAYS RIJKAARD INFLUENCED REFEREE.­ SPITEFUL CHELSEA FANS BOMBARD REFEREE ANDREAS FRISK­ WITH HATE MAIL AND THEATEN HIS DAUGHTER. HE QUITS. SO­ THE GODS ARE NOW ANGRY SO ARE PEOPLE ALL OVER THE­ WORLD. THEN IN THE SECOND LEG, BARCELONA IS TRAILING­ 2-3 BUT CHELSEA IS GOING OUT ON AWAY GOALS RULE. 2ND­ SIN - CARVALHO HOLDS VALDES WHILE TERRY HEADS THE BALL­ HOME FROM A CORNER. NO ONE TALKS ABOUT REFEREEING­ DECISION THEN, BECAUSE THE BIASED ENGLISH MEDIA AND­ UNBELIEVABLY MANIPULATIVE SKY SPORTS DON'T SHOW THE­ DECISION AGAIN AND AGAIN AS THEY DID WHEN DECISION WENT­ AGAINST CHELSEA. BUT THE GODS NOTE IT DOWN IN THEIR­ NOTEBOOK. NOW TIME FOR REDEMPTION. CHELSEA PLAYED WELL­ IN SEMI-FINAL 2005 BUT A 'GHOST' GOAL GIVES­ LIVERPOOL VICTORY. NEXT SEASON 2006 BARCELONA TAKE­ REVENGE AND KNOCK OUT CHELSEA IN ROUND OF 16 TIE. 2007­ GODS STILL ANGRY LIVERPOOL WIN ON PENALTIES. 2008 GODS­ STILL ANGRY MANCHESTER UNITED WIN ON PENALTIES IN THE­ FINAL. 2009 ...DO I NEED TO TELL....

    From barcelonafan85, on Sat 30 May 4:01PM

  4. Gentle and other not so 'Gentle' Chelsea fans.­ Will you whining and moaning about referee cheating­ your team till you die. Why don't you ask the­ question to yourself, why is your team 'cursed'­ as Lampard says. Why is it only you are at the­ receiving end not other teams. If you don't know,­ let me tell you how it all started. The gods were happy­ with Chelsea...small club..small fan base...small­ achievements. Then this tycoon from Russia comes,­ spends millions on this small club and overnight WORLC­ CLASS PLAYERS ARE IMPORTED and Chelsea is in the­ limelight. No problem, we love it. The whole world­ loves a rising star. But then slowly arrives a vicious­ manager who teaches dirty, negative tricks to his­ players and the whole world realized that it is a­ rising criminal. The proof CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ROUND OF 16­ 2005 BETWEEN BARCELONA AND CHELSEA. IN THE FIRST LEG­ CHELSEA BEATEN 2-1 AT CAMP NOU. DROGBA IS SENT OFF AND­ THE FIRST CRIME OF THE RISING CRIMINAL STARTS. VICIOUS­ MANAGER MOURINHO SAYS RIJKAARD INFLUENCED REFEREE.­ SPITEFUL CHELSEA FANS BOMBARD REFEREE ANDREAS FRISK­ WITH HATE MAIL AND THEATEN HIS DAUGHTER. HE QUITS. SO­ THE GODS ARE NOW ANGRY SO ARE PEOPLE ALL OVER THE­ WORLD. THEN IN THE SECOND LEG, BARCELONA IS TRAILING­ 2-3 BUT CHELSEA IS GOING OUT ON AWAY GOALS RULE. 2ND­ SIN - CARVALHO HOLDS VALDES WHILE TERRY HEADS THE BALL­ HOME FROM A CORNER. NO ONE TALKS ABOUT REFEREEING­ DECISION THEN, BECAUSE THE BIASED ENGLISH MEDIA AND­ UNBELIEVABLY MANIPULATIVE SKY SPORTS DON'T SHOW THE­ DECISION AGAIN AND AGAIN AS THEY DID WHEN DECISION WENT­ AGAINST CHELSEA. BUT THE GODS NOTE IT DOWN IN THEIR­ NOTEBOOK. NOW TIME FOR REDEMPTION. CHELSEA PLAYED WELL­ IN SEMI-FINAL 2005 BUT A 'GHOST' GOAL GIVES­ LIVERPOOL VICTORY. NEXT SEASON 2006 BARCELONA TAKE­ REVENGE AND KNOCK OUT CHELSEA IN ROUND OF 16 TIE. 2007­ GODS STILL ANGRY LIVERPOOL WIN ON PENALTIES. 2008 GODS­ STILL ANGRY MANCHESTER UNITED WIN ON PENALTIES IN THE­ FINAL. 2009 ...DO I NEED TO TELL....

    From barcelonafan85, on Sat 30 May 4:00PM

  5. nickandmart1 - Ha-ha ha!!! @#$% United s u c k s!!!­ they deserved it so much!!!

    From damnsoldja, on Sat 30 May 3:36PM

  6. Grow up ronaldo. you can do better than wish for a­ match with chealsea losers.

    From Richard, on Sat 30 May 2:30PM

  7. Fergie know nothing about tactic.. come ronaldo, u­ better move to real madrid..

    From Del Reds Piero, on Sat 30 May 12:43PM

  8. I dont know why chealsea fans hate Man united. it is so­ disgusting.. stupid people. Chealsea is over just 1­ last hope if they win against everton.

    From Asad Z, on Sat 30 May 12:37PM

  9. Cristiano ronaldo

    From norisadiku, on Sat 30 May 12:29PM

  10. nicandmart1. get your facts straight t*ss*r Liverpool­ are 6th in world rankings

    YNWA

    From Myway, on Sat 30 May 12:20PM

  11. everything is true,even if they may not be­ related,
    1barca outplayed manchester; so barca is the­ better side
    2Barca were fortunate as chelsea deserved­ to have played the final.yes, it is true that chelsea­ pocketed barca at the stamfordbridge and chelsea were­ denied glaring penalties by a referee who is still yet­ to apologise. Barca can be marvellous in the eyes of­ manchester, but infront of chelsea, barca knows that it­ will suffer. Even I were UEFA and the world, I would­ have asked for a replay of the match. But since we are­ dealing with humans who may be cheats; this has been­ denied. The bottom line is that a sincere barca player­ knows that the referee helped barca against chelsea.­ Period.

    From Gentle, on Sat 30 May 11:40AM

  12. Chelsea escaped in the first leg when barca should have­ scored at least a goal, from a penalty on Henry - who­ talks about it when talking about chelsea being­ cheated? was barca less cheated? And that lousy­ big-mouth ballack should have been sent off for a­ second fault on Iniesta - who talks about it either?­ The fould on Malouda and the hand of Pique could have­ been the ONLY and I say again the only wrong decisions­ on chelsea but again, why is the english media making­ too much noise, so much that this whimp and scouser­ called ronaldo comes and says such stupid things,only­ because he lost? Criticising his manager (althought­ rightly), his players, and now barcelona. Is that what­ you call a real champ? sorry.

    From Pooks, on Sat 30 May 10:32AM

  13. a dirty boy from inside, who only goes after­ prostitutes with his fella (anderson and nani) and a­ dirty boy from the outside when he spews his disgusting­ venom to say only what ghetto guys of his caliber can­ say. What else does he know? Mourinho was definitely­ right about you: you are just dirty from inside and­ disgusting! Money can't change that character of­ yours! You will only ever have prostitutes in your bed!

    From Pooks, on Sat 30 May 10:15AM

  14. Shut up you looser...you deserved to loose.

    From kepala butuh, on Sat 30 May 10:12AM

  15. Cristiano Ronaldo: "The tactics were not good,­ everything went wrong. We have to give credit to­ Barcelona, but they were a bit lucky to be here because­ Chelsea did not deserve to lose and no-one has­ mentioned that."

    Oh yeah? No-one has mentioned­ that? And what about the millions of chelsea fans and­ the very players mentioning that? so because you­ mention it, it means no one had mentioned before? this­ boy's ego is one of the most disgusting of the­ planet! So, now that you get overshadowed by Messi and­ get humiliated by Barca, you now remember chelsea?­ Well, in your tems, you say you would have beaten­ chelsea! In fact, I understand why to me, you NEVER­ ever be the best player in the world, simply because of­ your thick arrogance and false graciousness in defeat.­ You think you can always win it all everytime? The­ earlier you disappear the better for football, because­ your level of football will suit North Korea or Iran!

    From Pooks, on Sat 30 May 10:12AM

  16. why most it be Ronaldo to complain,see all the sweet­ comments from GIggs,Rooney and the rest.what is chelsea­ matter doing here

    From collins, on Sat 30 May 9:59AM

  17. why most it be Ronaldo to complain,see all the sweet­ comments from GIggs,Rooney and the rest.what is chelsea­ matter doing here

    From collins, on Sat 30 May 9:55AM

  18. the best team won,united didnt show up even if chelsea­ made it to the finals chelsea wouyld have won it as­ well.united was washed up,burnout when it came to the­ finals..they didnt have the heart as well never wanting­ it more than barca....that made the difference

    From theonebehindthewheel, on Sat 30 May 1:08AM
  19. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    the reason utd lost was cause fergie picked anderson,­ park, and o'shea. when he should have picked­ tevez/berbatov, scholes and neville/brown if fit, then­ utd would have battered barca. utd are still best club­ team in the world. liverpool aren't even in the top­ ten so all you scouser fans go find a forum for your­ own w.a.n.k team to comment on, or isn't there one

    From N, on Fri 29 May 11:25PM

  20. someone on this forum said that theres no monkeys on­ merseyside, i take it your overlooking the manager and­ players at lfc?....barca are still just second best in­ europe

    From N, on Fri 29 May 11:17PM
Sort comments by: Most recent

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account