Manchester United legend Roy Keane has named the two clubs that made him question whether he was good enough as footballer.
Who were the two clubs?
Speaking on The Overlap podcast, Keane said: “There’s a few teams I’ve played against and generally it was either Real Madrid or Barcelona… no other team has made me doubt that I’m good enough.”
Gary Neville asked about Juventus, and Keane added: “No, I never had it with the Italian teams because that was a physical challenge.
“With the Spanish teams, and even the so-called lesser ones, they’d keep the ball. Particularly with Barcelona and Real, when they had the top players and were in the zone, you were like ‘all the best getting the ball back’.
“That night against Barcelona, I think I touched the ball four times and that was in the warm up. We just couldn’t get near them. It was four and we were delighted it was four.”
The match Keane is referencing here came in 1994. Barcelona thrashed Manchester United 4-0.
Out of the combined eight times Keane faced Real Madrid and Barcelona, he won once (D4 L3). That came in a Champions League match against Real Madrid. United won 4-3 but Madrid progressed on aggregate.
Keane’s achievements
It’s hard to believe that Roy Keane felt that way playing against Spanish opposition given his career success. His 12 years at Manchester United saw him lift the Champions League, seven Premier League titles and four FA Cups.
Keane captained Manchester United for eight years and was so instrumental in their success. He was known for being an aggressive no-nonsense midfielder and he was feared by many opposition players.
After his career he had managerial spells at Sunderland, Ipswich, Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and the Republic of Ireland. They weren’t particularly successful but he recently came out and said he would be open to return to coaching.
He said: “Can I go back to it? Not that it’s going to be the Real Madrid job but it’s got to be the right challenge. It’s got to be the right club, it’s got to be the right contract, can you bring your staff or not?
“I discuss this all the time. I have had opportunities but sometimes you get offered a contract, I go back and look at it if I do get offered stuff, a bit of self worth. Is the deal right for you?
“I’d like to go back in, but I’m not desperate where I’d sign any contract for anybody.”
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