2008–09 Manchester United F.C. season
127th season in existence of Manchester United / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The 2008–09 season was Manchester United's 17th season in the Premier League, and their 34th consecutive season in the top division of English football. The club won a third consecutive Premier League title for the second time to equal Liverpool's record of 18 league titles.[1] United also reached the Champions League final, aiming to become the first team since Milan to defend the European Cup (and be the first team to do so in the Champions League era), but lost 2–0 to Barcelona.[2]
2008–09 season | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Co-chairmen | Joel and Avram Glazer | |||
Manager | Sir Alex Ferguson | |||
Stadium | Old Trafford | |||
Premier League | 1st | |||
FA Cup | Semi-finals | |||
League Cup | Winners | |||
UEFA Champions League | Runners-up | |||
FA Community Shield | Winners | |||
UEFA Super Cup | Runners-up | |||
FIFA Club World Cup | Winners | |||
Top goalscorer | League: Cristiano Ronaldo (18) All: Cristiano Ronaldo (26) | |||
Highest home attendance | 75,569 (vs. Liverpool, 14 March) | |||
Lowest home attendance | 53,729 (vs. Middlesbrough, 23 September) | |||
Average home league attendance | 75,304 | |||
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United started their season in August 2008 by winning the Community Shield, beating FA Cup winners Portsmouth on penalties after a goalless draw.[3] As winners of the UEFA Champions League, they earned the right to play Zenit Saint Petersburg, the winners of the UEFA Cup, in the UEFA Super Cup, where they lost 2–1. They also qualified for the FIFA Club World Cup, entering at the semi-finals. The club went on to win the competition, becoming the first English side to do so after beating LDU Quito 1–0 in the final.[4] Two months later, on 1 March 2009, the club added the 2008–09 League Cup to their trophy cabinet with after beating title holders Tottenham Hotspur on penalties after a goalless 120 minutes in the final.[5]
United secured the Premier League title with a goalless draw at home to Arsenal on 16 May 2009. This made them the first team to win three consecutive English top flight titles on two occasions, having also done so between 1999 and 2001.[1]
This was Cristiano Ronaldo's final season with Manchester United before leaving for Real Madrid for a world record transfer fee in June 2009; he returned at the start of the 2021–22 season.