Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed one of his biggest regrets from Manchester United's victory over Chelsea in the 2008 Champions League final - not starting Park Ji-Sung.
The Red Devils emerged victorious in at a rain-soaked Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, edging the Blues out on penalties after the game had finished 1-1 after extra time.
But Ferguson's decision to leave Park out of the starting line-up - he started both legs of the semi-final against Barcelona - was one that was questioned at the time, particularly as the South Korean had forged a reputation at Old Trafford for delivering in the 'big games'.
Now, Sir Alex has told MUTV (via MailOnline Sport) it was one of the hardest decisions of his career - reflecting on how strong his squad was at the time.
“To win the European Cup is fantastic," Sir Alex began. "It was a really great bunch of players with a great attitude about them and a good, strong squad.
“My problem in the 2008 final, maybe I even regret it to this day, was I left Park Ji-Sung out completely in the final.
“He'd played such a great role and that's the problem when you get to these finals. No player deserves to be left out of the final.”
Park ended up on the winning side nonetheless, ending his glittering career in England with a number of trophies to his name.
He made 134 appearances for United - winning four Premier League titles, three English League Cups and a FIFA Club World Cup, alongside this Champions League success.
In winning Europe's premier competition, Park became the first Asian player to do so - paving the way for future generations of young players aiming to reach the pinnacle of the game.
Source : 90min