The players, their opponents and the watching spectators already knew the outcome.
For the best part of two decades Manchester United were idolised as much as they were envied.
2009
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Manchester United dominated English football for almost 20 years
It was a dynasty that at times felt as though it was never going to end as the club continually reconstructed its squad to remain at the very top of English football.
On the rare occasion an opponent got the upper hand, there was then the challenge of overcoming their almost unbreakable mental strength.
That was the key to United’s success implemented by legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
The legendary Scot was a pioneer when it came to sports psychology and its modern impact on the game and implementing his ideas onto his players was a fundamental aspect of United’s dominance.
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Ferguson was at the latter stage of his Old Trafford tenure when he paid Tottenham £30.75million for Berbatov in September 2008.
United had just become European champions for a third time having beaten Chelsea in the final in Moscow three months earlier.
But he quickly learnt that aside from the incredible talent in the squad, there was a psychological robustness that others couldn’t match up to.
“So it always starts in the tunnel. You know how it is. Sometimes straight from the tunnel, I knew we won the game. I see them and they look at us and see Rooney, Ronaldo, Wazza, you, Scholsey, Giggs,” the Bulgarian told the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast.
“And I’m watching them and I’m thinking to myself, 'Yeah, I know. I know. I know.' In a way of feeling great about myself, feeling sad for them because we’re going to destroy them. And we’re already leading 1–0 straight from the tunnel.
“And then, when we step onto the pitch, even before the kick-off, I will see the defenders watching our strikers and I can see the body language and that small detail that shows you, 'Oh, man. It’s over. It’s over.'
Berbatov and his teammates could smell fear in their opponents even before kick off
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Berbatov and his teammates could smell fear in their opponents even before kick offCredit: AFP
The Bulgarian won the Premier League in his first season at the club
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The Bulgarian won the Premier League in his first season at the clubCredit: getty
“And as a striker, you feed on this. That’s how I felt when the four of us, sometimes, were playing together because we can just terrorise the teams.”
That was instilled by Ferguson, who was the master of mind games.
In the moments before matches, Ferguson would famously wait in the tunnel and individually shake the hand of each of his players as they came out of the dressing room.
However, the gesture was rarely a gee up for his players, that had already been done inside the four walls.
Instead, it was for the purpose of those in the tunnel. Namely the opposing team watching on as well as the officials.
Ferguson went on to land 38 trophies in his 26 years as Manchester United boss including 13 Premier League titles, five FA Cups, four League Cups and two Champions League titles.
Ferguson was the master of mind games and it served him well during his time at Manchester United where he led the club to 38 trophies
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Ferguson was the master of mind games and it served him well during his time at Manchester United where he led the club to 38 trophiesCredit: Getty
Berbatov got his hands on the Premier League title twice during his four years at the club, something he could have only dreamt of prior to his move to Old Trafford.
Discussing his first steps as a Manchester United player, the Bulgarian spoke of his pride at joining the Red Devils and revealed the moment he realised he had ‘made it’.
“For me, when I walked into the dressing room, on the way to the dressing room in the car, I was again mixed with emotional things,” Berbatov said.
“Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God, you know.
“One thing I will never forget, the night of the transfer, when it happened. I went to my room in the Lowry Hotel where everything was happening.
“I sit on the bed. I was so tired. I was so happy. I was so proud of myself. And then I received messages from, I think it was Gary Neville, from Michael Carrick, from Paul Scholes, I think, for Ryan Giggs, like, 'Welcome, Berbs. Welcome, welcome, welcome, welcome'.
Berbatov was left stunned by the welcome he received upon arriving at Old Trafford
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Berbatov was left stunned by the welcome he received upon arriving at Old TraffordCredit: rio ferdinand presents
“But this was also a moment that never happened before for me.
“And I’m seeing the messages and I’m sitting on the bed and I’m thinking to myself, 'Look at this, man. Look at these people, how they welcome me.'
“You’re like winning the Premier League. You won the Champions League that year as well. And I’m thinking, 'they welcome me, like, welcome'.
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“I was just sitting there,” he added. “Sometimes you just sit and you stare in a space, and you’re like trying to appreciate what is happening, when you are grateful for what is happening. And this was for me at that moment, like realisation. I made it. I made it.”
Listen to the full Rio Meets Dimitar Berbatov interview on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.