During a podcast where they discussed their most challenging European encounters, former United players expressed doubts about their Champions League adversaries. Neville suggested that during a specific encounter in the “mid-2000s,” he and other United players sensed that something was “amiss.” Keane specifically mentioned “a couple of Italian teams.”
Although Neville and Keane refrained from naming any specific club, their former manager Sir Alex Ferguson previously hinted that they could have secured more European Cups during his tenure. Keane clinched two Champions League triumphs alongside Neville and United.
Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Neville remarked, “There are a couple that stick in my mind and I’m going to say this for legal reasons, I think there were a few teams that we played against who weren’t clean. We thought it at the time.”
Keane chimed in, “We played certain teams, I would be walking off and would be absolutely shattered. I would be looking at the players I played against, a couple of Italian teams, and they looked like they’ve not even played a match.”
In closing, Neville reflected, “You look back at what came out after in cycling and other sports and doctors and then you think, ‘Hang on?’ Physically, we were fit, we weren’t drinkers. I came off a pitch against an Italian team and thought, ‘That’s not right. That’s not right, I’m sorry’. And I know that a couple of the other lads, mid-2000s, thought exactly the same thing.”
During the 1990s, Serie A teams dominated European football, appearing in eight out of ten Champions League finals and producing five more finalists in the 2000s. Allegations of doping have long shadowed Italian football, tracing back to Neville and Keane’s tenure at United.
While Serie A’s quality has declined significantly over the past decade, three Italian teams remain in the Champions League’s last 16, set to resume in February. Italian champions Napoli will square off against Barcelona, Inter will clash with Atletico Madrid, and Lazio have been pitted against Bayern Munich.
Manchester United performance and stats
Manchester United is currently 6th in the Premier League with 38 points.
In the last 23 games, it has won 12 times, drawn twice, and lost 9 times. In its last match, Manchester United won 3-0 against West Ham United.
It has a negative goal difference after scoring 31 goals and conceding 32.
Manchester United will play the next match in Premier League against Aston Villa on Sunday 11th of February in Birmingham. The prediction is Aston Villa winning the match.