Roy Keane has always been a player that divides opinion. Rival fans will often describe the Irishman as a thug, a stone-cold character that had no place in the beautiful game, but those same rival fans wished that they had someone like Keane in their side.
Keane was a winner, a force of nature that would rather die on the pitch than accept a draw or defeat for Manchester United and often epitomised the spirit of Sir Alex Ferguson’s sides in the late 90s and the early 00s. And that desire and spirit was on display in United’s 1999 Champions League semi-final second leg clash against Juventus – perhaps Keane’s finest game in a United shirt.
That game is often overlooked compared to Ryan Giggs’ wonder goal against Arsenal in the FA Cup semi-final replay and the Champions League final comeback against Bayern Munich during the Treble-winning season, but without Keane’s masterful performance against Juventus, the Treble would not have been a reality. Until Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s famous winner in Barcelona a month later, the second leg in Turin was considered United’s greatest European comeback.
United’s Champions League season had gone smoothly so far. They smoothly navigated a group of death containing eventual finalists Bayern and a Barcelona side managed by Louis van Gaal, before dispatching Juve’s fellow Italian side Inter with ease in the quarter-final. But the Old Lady was a different beast compared to Inter.
With the mastery of Zinedine Zidane and Edgar Davids in midfield, as well as the predatory instincts of Pippo Inzaghi up top, Juventus were a force to be reckoned with. With the Bianconeri having reached three Champions League finals in a row, the odds were against the Reds and it showed in the first leg at Old Trafford.
The Italian champions dominated Sir Alex’s men at the Theatre of Dreams and only a late Ryan Giggs equaliser prevented United heading to Turin a goal down. The odds were stacked even further, given the Reds had never won a European game in Italy heading into the second leg.
And United would get off to the worst possible start at the Stadio delle Alpi, with Inzaghi scoring twice in the first eleven minutes. 3-1 down on aggregate, some feared that the Reds could be in for a humiliation.
However, Keane had no intention of seeing his side humbled and proceeded to impose himself on matters. Davids had been a standout performer in the first leg for Juventus, but the Dutchman was dominated by Keano in the centre of the park. And fittingly, it would be Keano who would start the comeback, heading past Juve keeper Angelo Peruzzi from a David Beckham corner in the 24th minute.
But Keane’s night would take a turn ten minutes later. A poor Jesper Blomqvist pass forced Keane to bring down Zidane near the halfway line and take a booking, ruling him out of the Champions League final in Barcelona whatever happened. He could have easily broke down in tears like Paul Gascoigne did in the same stadium nine years earlier, but there was never that threat with Keano and the United captain would continue to work his socks off in the ultimate display of self-sacrifice.
He covered more ground than anyone else on that night in Turin, chasing down loose balls and protecting his defence, as well as pushing forward and providing valuable support for Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole up top. Within minutes of Keane getting booked, United were level with Yorke’s diving header putting the Reds ahead on away goals.
With Zidane back moved alongside Didier Deschamps in midfield after Nicola Amoruso was brought on to partner Inzaghi up front, Juventus looked to regain control, but Keane was a man possessed, playing out of his skin as the Irishman provided the impetus for United’s passing, distributing the ball effectively while nullifying Zidane’s presence with his trademark aggression and bite.
Juve would provide little threat throughout the rest of the game, and it would be Cole that killed off the Old Lady, tapping in from an acute angle late on after Yorke had been brought down by Peruzzi as he rounded him. United held on to reach their first European Cup final in 31 years, winning their first European game in Italy in the process and we all know what happened next.
United had a number of standout performers on that night in Turin – but none more so than Keane, who put the team before himself and delivered one of the greatest individual performances in footballing history. His impact was summed up by Sir Alex afterwards, who said:
It was the most emphatic display of selflessness I have seen on a football field. Pounding over every blade of grass competing if he would rather die of exhaustion than lose he inspired all around him. I felt it was an honour to be associated with such a player.
