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Sir Alex Ferguson reveals biggest regret of his Manchester United career
SIR ALEX FERGUSON believes his failure to steer Manchester United to the 2001/02 Champions League final is his "greatest regret" in management.
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United lost on away goals to Bayer Leverkusen in the semi-finals that season, meaning Glaswegian Ferguson missed the chance to take his team to Hampden Park.
Real Madrid beat Leverkusen 2-1 in the final as Zinedine Zidane put in a famous man-of-the-match performance.
And Ferguson has admitted he is still frustrated that United failed to make the final.
Sir Alex Ferguson (right) says he regrets his 2001/02 team didn't reach the Champions League final
Roy Keane gave United hope with a goal in Leverkusen
“The one I really regret was not taking Manchester United to the final in 2002,” Ferguson said at an event in Glasgow.
“The whole build-up was about getting to the final in Glasgow, but we lost the semi-final to Leverkusen."
Ferguson even staked out a viable hotel for the United squad had they progressed.
Leverkusen eventually went through to the final on away goals
Zinedine Zidane scored the winning goal in the 2002 Champions League final
"In the build up to the final at Hampden, I was told to go up to Glasgow and check out hotels,” he said.
“So I went up and checked out hotels that would have been ideal for us. I was driving back from Glasgow and I said: ‘I don’t like it, why have I done this?’ And then we lost the semi-final, but that’s life."
United drew 2-2 in their home leg against Leverkusen and levelled in the away tie through midfielder Roy Keane after Oliver Neuville had handed the Germans the lead.
But the Red Devils couldn't force another goal that would have seen them progress.
Asked about that second leg and 'Fergie time', the former manager added: “We were a bit unlucky - we ran out of time.
“The referee couldn’t understand my time and his time!”
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