FCBARCELONA.CAT

19.05.2009 13:18

Ferguson and Guardiola- two contrasting managers

Marc Guillén

The Rome final sees two very different managers pitting their wits against each other – Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United manager for the last 23 years, and Pep Guardiola, who joined Barça 25 years ago, but is still in his first year as manager.

When Alex Ferguson made his debut in Europe with Aberdeen, Josep Guardiola was just 7 years old, since then the Scot has never stopped managing and Pep has never stopped learning what it means to be a part of FC Barcelona.

Three titles

One thing can’t be questioned about Pep – his fantastic record: in two years he’s won every trophy he’s been involved in as a manager. Last year he took the Barca reserves to a third division title and this year he’s taken the first team to a historic domestic league and cup double. What’s more he’s done it by keeping true to the club’s tradition of attacking football, a tradition he has been brought up on since he first joined the club, as he commented recently: “we are as clear as water – we always play in the same way”.

United’s most successful boss

Alex Ferguson joined United in November 1986 and although his past with various smaller clubs in Scotland and the successful European Cup Winners Cup winning Aberdeen had given no special indication of any special link with the Old Trafford club he went on to become the club’s most successful manager and an emblematic figure for them.

11 EPL titles

It took Fergusson six years to win a title for United, but since then he has chalked up a total of 11 Premier League titles (out of a club total of 18). Fergusson’s strong character was always a constant, but he also showed considerable skill in molding a series of teams who were both secure at the back and exciting going forward.

If they win….

If Barca take the title, Pep Guardiola, 38, will become the third youngest manager to take Europe’s top trophy. Only two managers, both for Real Madrid, have taken the title at a younger age: Pepe Vilallonga, who won the European Cup in 1956 and Miguel Muñoz, who was a few days younger than Guardiola when he won it in 1960.

In contrast, if United win, it will make Ferguson, who is 68, the second oldest manager to win the title, behind only Raymond Coethals who won the Cup in 1993 with Olympic Marseilles when he was 72.