Wayne Rooney reveals he “shouldn’t have played” in massive Champions League game with Arsenal | OneFootball

Wayne Rooney has revealed that he should never have been on the pitch for one of Manchester United’s biggest Champions League matches.

The England legend was part of the United team which beat Arsenal 3-1 in the second leg of the semi-final in 2008/09 on the way to a 2-0 defeat to Barcelona in the final.

But the club’s all-time top scorer was playing through illness and was dosed up to help him get through the game.

It didn’t stop him having a massive impact, most memorably linking up with Cristiano Ronaldo in an explosive counter-attack to assist the Portuguese for his second of the game.

Ronaldo’s first was the iconic 40-yard free-kick which blasted past Manuel Almunia three minutes after Ji-Sung Park netted the opener, blowing Arsenal’s impressive home defensive record in the competition to pieces.

It was a halcyon night for the Red Devils, who would later be brought back down to earth with a crash against an unstoppable Barcelona team in the final.

But things could have been different had Rooney caved to illness. As per The Daily Mail, he said “I shouldn’t have played this game, I wasn’t well at all.

“The doctor gave me a load of medication to get me through the game. We had a bit of a party after this game, but I didn’t go, I went straight to bed.”

Rooney certain deserved a party, having been part of one of United’s most celebrated counter-attacking goals, linking up wonderfully with Park before Ronaldo swept home.

It was a brilliant moment, and one which was a direct result of careful planning by manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

Speaking about the goal, Rooney said: “We knew how to play against Arsenal for many years. We’d change our game, we’d play a lot more defensive. We’d play a low block, and like that goal there, we’d try to hit them on the break.

“To win any major competition, to win the Champions League especially, you have to adapt to certain games and certain opposition.”

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