'They have grown painfully accustomed to disappointment in the European Cup in the six years since they lifted the trophy, but for Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United, the sense of anguish never diminishes. The United manager had dared to say that they would win the competition, if only they could overturn a first-leg deficit against AC Milan, but the overriding sensation as he and his players trudged off the field at the San Siro last night was a familiar one of having fallen short of the required standard.
Exactly how short was open to debate. Ferguson talked afterwards of the "thin line" that separates success and failure at this level, but for all that, it might as well have been a chasm. While he was right to cite the chances missed in both legs, particularly by a ring-rusty Ruud van Nistelrooy last night, he will know deep down that his team were not good enough to beat this formidable AC Milan side, whose quality proved the difference over three hours of high-class football.
Ultimately, the tie was won and lost in the first leg at Old Trafford, when Hernán Crespo seized on an error by Roy Carroll. United dreamt that they could repeat their heroics against Juventus in the semi-finals in Turin in 1999, but it was too much to ask that Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney, at this early stage of their development, would flourish against such a vastly experienced Milan team, who secured victory in the 61st minute when Crespo, on a season-long loan from Chelsea, headed his second goal of the tie.
That goal extinguished United’s hopes of emulating their unforgettable comeback in Turin, but such a feat had rarely seemed to be on the cards for Ferguson’s team. Ryan Giggs struck a post in the first half before Van Nistelrooy, short of sharpness after a three-month injury layoff, wasted the first of two presentable opportunities. The damning statistic was that United had failed to manage a shot on target, with Rooney and Ronaldo, in particular, guilty of trying their luck from distance as desperation grew.
United’s supporters, having been bombarded by missiles from the upper tier for much of the evening, had the good grace to applaud the victors off the pitch after the final whistle. No mean judges, they knew they had been beaten by a better team. Deep down, Ferguson will know it, too. Thin line it may have been, but United, once again, had ended up the wrong side of it.'