3 Times Manchester United Were Underdogs but Prevailed Over Bigger Teams

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Sir Alex Ferguson knew how to get the best out of his squad even when the chips were down

In the course of history, Manchester United have taken part in some huge matches. Given the calibre of the club, the team has competed at the highest levels of football, which meant crossing paths with even bigger clubs. Some of those key battles have left lasting memories for the supporters in victory or defeat.

The UEFA Champions League, in particular, offered a stern test for the Red Devils over the years. Their record as the 20-time English champions has always created the sense to dominate on a bigger scale. The Sir Alex Ferguson era brought some special moments for United fans when they, time and again, faced the biggest sides in Europe.

At the time, the usual heavyweights such as Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich were the dominant forces in European football. United looked to stake their claim in Europe and it meant daring to believe.

For most parts, they came up short but they took their chances when the opportunity presented itself. Ferguson did his bit in inspiring United from a team that regularly dominated English football to one that could pose a serious threat to the elite teams on the continental level.

In these three matches, United were expected to lose as they faced superior opposition but found a way to get the job done.

#3 Manchester United 4-3 Real Madrid

Manchester United lined up against a very talented Real Madrid squad and won

On 23 April 2003, Manchester United faced Real Madrid in the quarter-final of the UEFA Champions League at Old Trafford. The Red Devils had gone down 3-1 in the first leg and were heavily expected to also lose the second leg, given Madrid's super talented crop of players.

In their ranks were world class footballers such as Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo, Ronaldo Nazario, and Roberto Carlos - all on the same pitch.

This was the sort of attacking venom that could cripple any defence in the world. Ronaldo fired Madrid ahead in the first half to make an already daunting task even harder for United.

He went on to score a glorious hat-trick in what was a pure show of class. Substitute David Beckham scored a brace with Ruud Van Nistelrooy also on target to inspire a 4-3 comeback win for the Red Devils.

However, it wasn't enough as United were eliminated 6-5 on aggregate.

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