Ferguson: We're still as good as any of them
Sir Alex Ferguson remains defiant after Bayer Leverkusen ended his dream of lifting the European Cup at Hampden Park.
United could only draw 1-1 in the Champions League semi-final second leg in the BayArena and went out on the away goals rule.
Coupled with Arsenal's five-point lead in the Premiership, United are now destined to finish the season empty-handed for only the third time in 13 years.
Despite this, Ferguson refuses to accept that United are second best at home or in Europe and he said: "I don't think we are short.
"I think we are as good as any of them. We play the best football in England and we've scored the most goals.
"The weakness in our campaign in the league was our early-season form.
"That cost us a lot of points and goals. But from Christmas the team has been the best in the league.
"In Europe we were a whisker away from being in the final.
"So I think we've had a good campaign. I think we've played some excellent stuff in Europe.
"Two defeats in 16 matches at European level is good and some of the performances have been excellent.
"I thought we played quite well and that we deserved to win.
"I'm disappointed for everyone and they all contributed to a really good campaign."
Roy Keane had put United on course for Hampden when he opened the scoring after 28 minutes only for Oliver Neuville, who had scored Leverkusen's second equaliser at Old Trafford, to level in first-half stoppage time.
Ferguson was particularly disappointed for Keane, who had been so desperate to reach the final after being suspended in 1999, and his captain gave a typical lung-bursting display.
"You just wish you had 10 Roy Keanes," he said. "He was marvellous and to score was a great moment for him.
"I'm disappointed for him because he put everything he could into the game, as most of my players did.
"I think we all hoped that Roy would get to the final and I think all the players wanted that.
"But the disappointment is shared around the whole dressing room."
10 Roy Keanes eh? Roll on genetic engineering and we might just do that...
Sir Alex Ferguson remains defiant after Bayer Leverkusen ended his dream of lifting the European Cup at Hampden Park.
United could only draw 1-1 in the Champions League semi-final second leg in the BayArena and went out on the away goals rule.
Coupled with Arsenal's five-point lead in the Premiership, United are now destined to finish the season empty-handed for only the third time in 13 years.
Despite this, Ferguson refuses to accept that United are second best at home or in Europe and he said: "I don't think we are short.
"I think we are as good as any of them. We play the best football in England and we've scored the most goals.
"The weakness in our campaign in the league was our early-season form.
"That cost us a lot of points and goals. But from Christmas the team has been the best in the league.
"In Europe we were a whisker away from being in the final.
"So I think we've had a good campaign. I think we've played some excellent stuff in Europe.
"Two defeats in 16 matches at European level is good and some of the performances have been excellent.
"I thought we played quite well and that we deserved to win.
"I'm disappointed for everyone and they all contributed to a really good campaign."
Roy Keane had put United on course for Hampden when he opened the scoring after 28 minutes only for Oliver Neuville, who had scored Leverkusen's second equaliser at Old Trafford, to level in first-half stoppage time.
Ferguson was particularly disappointed for Keane, who had been so desperate to reach the final after being suspended in 1999, and his captain gave a typical lung-bursting display.
"You just wish you had 10 Roy Keanes," he said. "He was marvellous and to score was a great moment for him.
"I'm disappointed for him because he put everything he could into the game, as most of my players did.
"I think we all hoped that Roy would get to the final and I think all the players wanted that.
"But the disappointment is shared around the whole dressing room."
10 Roy Keanes eh? Roll on genetic engineering and we might just do that...
