Sir Alex Ferguson spent 27 trophy-laden years at Old Trafford (Picture: Getty)

Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed the biggest regret of his 27 years at Manchester United was the Red Devils’ failure to reach the 2002 Champions League final in his hometown of Glasgow.

The Red Devils won two European Cups under the Scot in 1999 and 2008 but also lost two finals in 2009 and 2011.

United had won the Premier League in three consecutive seasons leading up to the 2001/2002 season but there was a huge onus on focusing on the Champions League after failing to build on the club’s Treble in 1999.

Ferguson was desperate to reach the final at Hampden Park but United crashed out in the semi-finals against Bayer Leverkusen on away goals.




Real Madrid, inspired by Zinedine Zidane, would go on to win the competition and Ferguson admits not making the final in his home city is his biggest regret.

United went out on away goals to Leverkusen (Picture: Getty)

‘The one that I really regret is not taking Man United there [Hampden] in 2002 when they hosted the Champions League final,’ Ferguson said at an event in Glasgow today.

‘The whole build-up was about taking Manchester United back to the final in Glasgow, but we lost to Bayer Leverkusen in the semi-final.

‘We were a wee bit unlucky – we ran out of time. The referee couldn’t understand my time and his time.’

Ferguson announced his retirement in 2002 before making a u-turn (Picture: Getty)

Ferguson, of course, retired in 2013 after winning his 13th league title at Old Trafford but he’s also revealed that he regrets looking at hotels for the 2002 Champions League final – because he feels he jinxed the club’s chances of making the showpiece.

‘I always guard against complacency. It’s a disease. But in the build-up to Hampden that season David Gill says ‘I think you should go up to Glasgow and check out hotels because you know better than any of us’,’ continued Ferguson.

‘So I went and checked out some hotels and was at one between East Kilbride and Strathaven. It would have been ideal for us. It was the perfect hotel.

‘On the drive back down to Glasgow I said: ‘I don’t like it. I should never have done this’. We lost the semi-final. But that’s life.’

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