Dwight Yorke (left) and Andy Cole celebrate Manchester United’s victory.Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian The Guardian 27 May 1999: “To walk through Barcelona before the game was to asume only one team was in it. The city had been turned into a suburb of Manchester. Tens of thousands of English fans had descended on the place to marinade in the sun and beer, to be close to history. Everywhere Bayern Munich were outnumbered, outsung, outenthused.”Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The GuardianSir Alex Ferguson: “My original intention was to play Ryan Giggs in the middle but my problem was that if Bayern sat deep I’d expose myself to the counter-attack. I was concerned that we base our game on passing and getting a rhythm to it. With David Beckham in the middle, we could maintain that.”Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The GuardianThe Guardian: “Bayern’s caveman of a midfielder, Jens Jeremies, did most to nullify the Beckham threat.”Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The GuardianThe Guardian: “United’s start could hardly have been worse. The game was just over four minutes old when Bayern’s giant striker Carsten Jancker was unceremoniously brought down by Ronny Johnsen. As the Germans loitered over the free-kick, United arranged a long wall which Markus Babbel infiltrated. And when Mario Basler hammered his shot, Babbel peeled off and the ball fizzed through the hole.”Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The GuardianStefan Effenberg: “In the normal course of events we’d have won by two or three goals. But football is not like that.”Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The GuardianPaul Breitner on Lothar Matthäus’s 80th minute substitution: “By leaving, Lothar did Manchester United the greatest favour.”Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The GuardianTeddy Sheringham: “[The manager said when sending him on to replace Jesper Blomqvist in the 67th minute] ‘Go out there and get us that goal.’”Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The GuardianTeddy Sheringham: “[At half-time the manager said] ‘This European Cup will be only six feet away from you at the end of this day. But if you lose this match you won’t even be able to touch it. Don’t you dare come into this dressing room after the match without giving your all.’”Photograph: Phil Noble/PAOle Gunnar Solskjaer: “We believe in ourselves. I believe in myself and my abilities. Of course I didn’t think it was over. Coming on then I knew they were tiring and I was more likely to score.”Photograph: Michael Steele/EMPICS Sports Photo AgencyThe Guardian: “Sammy Kuffour, the only non-German in the team, was left showing Teutonic angst as he pummelled the Camp Nou turf. He was deserving of his distress.”Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The GuardianSir Alex Ferguson: “You can’t top that, it’s the pinnacle. You can equal it, you can maintain your standards and pride, but you can’t top that.”Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The GuardianDavid Beckham: “I looked around and saw the cup being carried down to the pitch with Bayern Munich colours on it. Two minutes later, I had it in my own hands and it was ours.”Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The GuardianSir Alex Ferguson: “It’s a fairy tale really, on Sir Matt Busby’s birthday. Perhaps he’s doing a little kicking for us. I have not said anything to the players. I have just hugged and kissed them. They know my feelings, they know what I feel for them.”Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The GuardianSir Alex Ferguson: “The European Cup was always going to be the thing you strive for, but even last night I was relaxed about it. I was accepting we were going to lose. I was not going to get myself twisted inside about it because I have got a life to live. Now, though, I do feel a sense of fulfilment that I did not feel before.”Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The GuardianTony Blair: “The whole country, whatever team they support, is absolutely thrilled. It is a fantastic achievement and an incredible finish. We are all proud of Manchester United. Our congratulations go to Alex Ferguson and the magnificent Manchester United team.”Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The GuardianSir Alex Ferguson: “Football. Bloody hell!”Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian
