Sir Alex Ferguson has never been one to stop short of speaking his mind, and in the aftermath of PSG's Champions League triumph in Budapest, the most acomplished manager in British football history made his feelings perfectly clear. both in congratulating the victors and in delivering a pointed verdict on the team they beat.
PSG retained the Champions League title in dramatic fashion. Kai Havertz had given the Gunners an early lead, only for Ousmane Dembélé to draw the Ligue 1 champions level from the penalty spot.
The match was decided from the very same place.
Eberechi Eze and Gabriel both missed penalties after the 1-1 draw to hand PSG the trophy. It was the French capital's second consecutive European crown, following their 5-0 dismantling of Inter Milan in Munich twelve months earlier.
The victory means PSG have now won as many Champions League titles as Ferguson himself did during his legendary tenure at Manchester United.
Alex Ferguson's Personal Message to Nasser Al-Khelaifi
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‘I Played in Sir Alex Ferguson’s Final Man Utd Game - Now I Work in a Bank’
According to L'Equipe, Ferguson reached out directly to PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi in the wake of the final, sending a personal message that was warm in its praise of the Parisian club but considerably less generous towards their opponents:
"Nasser, this is Alex Ferguson. Well done, it was a tough night for you, but you played against a boring team that did nothing but defend. Enjoy your holidays, you deserve it."
It’s vintage Ferguson. Even in a message of congratulation, the former United boss couldn’t resist a dig at the side standing in the way, and his characterisation of Arsenal as a "boring team that did nothing but defend" won’t have gone down well at the Emirates.
Arteta's side had set up to frustrate and contain, as they usually do, and while that approach almost worked, Ferguson was in no mood to offer any credit for it.
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Ferguson is far from alone in his assessment. PSG midfielder Joao Neves, speaking in the immediate aftermath of the final, aimed a dig of his own at Arsenal, stating that PSG were the only team "willing to play." With him still basking in the euphoria of victory, Neves felt the time was right to mention Arsenal’s approach to the match.
The debate around Arsenal's approach and overall playstyle will rumble on, as it has done for the last few years. Arteta will no doubt feel that winning the Premier League, reaching a Champions League final and taking the tie to penalties is no small achievement, regardless of how they set up. But with Ferguson's words, and PSG's players piling in, the Gunners face a somewhat uncomfortable aftermath to what should have been a historic occasion.
The summer begins for PSG in the best possible mood. Back-to-back Champions League titles, a Ligue 1 crown, and the personal congratulations of the most decorated manager the game has ever seen. Al-Khelaifi and his players will indeed enjoy their holidays.