Rio Ferdinand: Man United's defeat to Barcelona in 2011 was highly embarrassing
- Rio Ferdinand has opened up that Man United's defeat to Barcelona in 2011 left him embarrassed
- The retired defender failed to stop the Lionel Messi-inspired side from lifting the title
- This came two years after the Red Devils lost to the same team in the final of Champions League in Rome
Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has named his side's defeat to Barcelona in the final of the 2011 Champions League as one of his most embarrassing days on the pitch.
The Catalan giants defeated the Premier League side 3-1 in their second meeting in about two years at the Wembley Stadium.
A goal each from Pedro Rodriguez, Lionel Messi, and David Villa ensured Wayne Rooney's lone strike ended up a mere consolation.
And the former England star would not stop beating himself up for not able to stop the Argentine from inspiring the La Liga side to glory.
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Daily Mail reports that Ferdinand insisted he was left red-faced in front of over 87,000 fans after the final whistle.
Ferdinand shed light on a conversation with fellow United legends Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, in which the defender admitted his dejection.
"Barca gave us an absolute lesson at Wembley," Ferdinand told Copa90.
"I was standing there watching them lift the trophy and me, Giggsy and Scholesy were standing together with our hands over our mouths and I said: "I feel embarrassed lads". "He [Messi] took liberties."
Ferdinand further said: "Messi was a killer. Ronaldinho was unreal, the free-flowing magician. But with Messi, he’d do all of that but there was always a goal or an assist at the end of it."
The former defender earlier admitted that his side's heartbreak in the 2009 showpiece has continued to haunt him.
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He admitted that it was a miracle for Xavi to have picked out Messi with a floated cross over his head in the danger zone.
But Spaniard's delivery in Rome was inch-perfect, allowing the Argentine to steer a header beyond Edwin van der Sar, and Ferdinand has since accepted that his ill-fated bet proved costly.
Legit.ng earlier reported that former Barcelona star Yaya Toure has named Lionel Messi, Thierry Henry and Samuel Eto'o among his best dream XI set of player he has ever played within his career.
The Ivorian is among the most decorated African players in history winning the Player of the year award four times in his career before retiring from national duty.
Before going to the zenith of his football career, Yaya Toure started his life back home with Asec Mimosas in Ivory Coast before going to join Olympiakos in 2005.
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Source: Legit.ng