The following evening, Old Trafford was surrounded by a sea of red.
Supporters had begun arriving hours before kickoff, filling the roads around the stadium with flags, scarves, and songs as Manchester United prepared to defend their two-goal advantage over Juventus.
Inside the packed Theatre of Dreams, Peter Drury introduced the second leg.
"Manchester United lead by two after their victory in Turin, while Juventus arrive needing a comeback. Cristiano Ronaldo returns to the stadium where his legend first became global, and Jeremy Ling enters the night level with Cristiano's single-season Champions League record of seventeen goals. One more would put the record in his name alone."
Jim Beglin then turned to the tactical setup.
"Mourinho has gone back to a 4-3-1-2. De Gea starts in goal, with Wan-Bissaka, Thiago Silva, Maguire, and Alex Sandro across the back. Kanté, Matić, and McTominay form the midfield three, Bruno Fernandes plays ahead of them, and Mahrez partners Ling up front."
McTominay's inclusion had attracted attention after his recent fitness testing produced an exceptional five-kilometer time.
Mourinho valued that stamina in a match where Juventus were expected to see more possession and force United's midfield into repeated defensive work.
Beglin added, "Running distance by itself doesn't win football matches. What matters is purposeful movement—pressing together, recovering together, and making the right runs at the right moments. United did that far better than Barcelona in the quarterfinal, and it was one of the reasons they were able to maintain their intensity for so long."
Juventus lined up in the 4-3-3 Sarri had been expected to use. Szczęsny started in goal, with Cuadrado, De Ligt, Bonucci, and Danilo in defense.
Pjanić anchored a midfield alongside Bentancur and Pogba, while Bernardeschi started on the right, Cristiano from the left, and Dybala through the center.
"The idea is fairly clear," Beglin explained. "Cristiano starts wide but will attack the penalty area whenever possible, while Dybala is expected to drop between the lines and draw defenders away.
Real Madrid used Benzema in a similar way around Cristiano, although Dybala is obviously a very different player. He prefers carrying the ball himself, so whether the two roles complement each other will be important."
Online, the lineup immediately sparked debate.
📱 @JuveWorld ✔
This looks like the old Real Madrid setup for Cristiano. Give him space from the left and let him attack the box.
📱 @UnitedStand ✔
Danilo starts again. Mahrez must be delighted.
📱 @SerieATactics
Juventus don't have many convincing alternatives at full-back, which is why Cuadrado and Danilo remain despite the defensive risks.
📱 @StretfordEndTom
Pogba on the left of midfield, Bernardeschi ahead of him, Danilo behind them. Mahrez has several targets to choose from.
📱 @JuveRebuild
Sarri has to gamble. Two goals down at Old Trafford is not the situation for a conservative lineup.
📱 @LegacyFootball
If Juventus go out, Sarri will be under huge pressure. Pirlo is already being mentioned in the Italian press.
📱 @CR7Legacy
If Cristiano ever leaves Juventus, I'd love to see him back in England.
| ↳ 📱 @RedDevilBeijing
| Reply: At United? Ling already owns the No. 7 shirt and leads the attack. Financially and tactically, that would be very difficult.
📱 @NeutralUCLWatch
Cristiano and Ling together sounds amazing until someone has to decide where they play, who gets the ball, and how the wage structure survives.
...
Inside the players' tunnel, Cristiano looked around at surroundings that felt both familiar and strangely different.
Old Trafford was still Old Trafford, but the club had changed since he left.
Posters along the walls celebrated United's recent triumphs in the Champions League, Premier League, Club World Cup, and UEFA Super Cup, and Ling appeared at the center of almost every image.
Cristiano had achieved extraordinary things during his own time in Manchester.
He won three consecutive Premier League titles, lifted the Champions League, and left the club as a Ballon d'Or winner and arguably the best player in the world.
Even so, Ling had already accumulated more team success at United than Cristiano had managed during his own years there.
The thought brought a mixture of nostalgia and admiration.
Cristiano remembered arriving in Manchester as a teenager and entering a dressing room filled with established stars who immediately tested the skinny Portuguese winger.
There had been difficult moments as he adapted, but there had also been some of the happiest years of his career.
He remembered the 2008 Champions League final, when he missed his penalty in the shootout but still ended the night lifting the trophy.
More than anything, he remembered Sir Alex Ferguson—the manager who had protected him, challenged him, and helped turn a gifted but extravagant winger into one of the finest players in the world.
Cristiano allowed himself a brief moment of reflection before refocusing on the match.
Whatever had changed around him, his desire to win remained the same.
Several places away, Ling tightened the captain's armband around his upper arm.
Years earlier, he had entered first-team matches surrounded by senior players and worried about becoming the weak link.
That stage of his career was long gone.
He was now United's captain, their No. 7, a Ballon d'Or winner, and the player his teammates expected to influence matches like this.
When it came to the desire to win, Ling believed he was second to no one—not even Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Champions League anthem ended, the players took their positions, and the referee blew his whistle.
The semifinal resumed.
...
Juventus began cautiously despite their need for goals.
They moved possession from side to side and tested United's flanks, but whenever Mourinho's midfield compressed one area, they were willing to recycle the ball rather than force an early pass.
United's intentions were equally clear.
Their defensive block sat deeper than in Turin, but the midfield still pressed aggressively once Juventus entered designated areas.
"United are protecting their advantage, but they aren't simply sitting inside their own penalty area," Beglin said.
"Juventus can have the ball in safe positions. Once it moves into midfield, though, United immediately increase the pressure."
Cuadrado was the first Juventus player to create something.
A quick touch took him past Sandro and allowed him to reach the byline, but instead of crossing into a crowded penalty area where Thiago Silva and Maguire were already waiting, he pulled the ball back toward Pjanić.
The Bosnian had often been compared with Pirlo because of his passing range and calm style, but the difference became more obvious under intense pressure.
Pirlo at his best could receive the ball while surrounded and still dictate the next phase. Pjanić needed a fraction more time.
Kanté denied him even that.
The Frenchman closed from the side just as Pjanić prepared to pass toward the left, anticipated the direction, and intercepted cleanly.
From the stands, it almost looked as though Pjanić had passed directly to him.
Kanté immediately moved the ball toward McTominay, who stayed composed as Pogba came across to challenge.
"Bruno!"
McTominay played into Bruno Fernandes, continued his run, and took the return pass.
Pogba leaned into him, trying to use the physical advantage that had served him throughout his career, but McTominay absorbed the contact and stayed upright.
There had once been an enormous difference in status between the two midfielders.
Pogba had been considered one of football's outstanding young talents from an early age and later returned to United for a record fee.
McTominay, meanwhile, had grown so suddenly during his academy years that he shifted from forward to midfield and initially seemed to lack any single standout quality.
Mourinho had eventually given him a clear role: run relentlessly, press aggressively, compete for everything, and make opponents uncomfortable.
That identity had carried him a long way.
Pogba turned to chase as McTominay moved forward, but Scott suddenly stopped, allowing the Frenchman's momentum to carry him past.
United's supporters reacted loudly as McTominay returned the ball to Bruno.
Ling accelerated through the middle, immediately drawing the attention of both Bonucci and De Ligt.
Neither center-back wanted to allow him another open footrace.
That was precisely what United wanted.
Ling was only the decoy.
Mahrez cut inside from the right, and Bruno slipped the ball into his path.
Bernardeschi rushed across and attempted a sliding tackle, but Mahrez used two quick touches to avoid him before reaching shooting range at the edge of the penalty area.
The Algerian opened his body and curled his familiar left-footed shot toward the far corner.
CLANG!
The ball struck the post.
Szczęsny landed on the turf and looked behind him in relief.
"Mahrez hits the woodwork," Drury called. "Ling's central run pulls Juventus's defense inward, Bruno recognizes the space, and Mahrez gets the exact shooting position he wanted."
Beglin nodded. "That's the danger of paying too much attention to Ling. Bonucci and De Ligt both react to his run, and Mahrez is left with enough room to attack the box."
Szczęsny got to his feet and immediately shouted toward his teammates.
"Why are they reaching the edge of the box so easily? Stop watching Ling every second! Pressure the man with the ball!"
His frustration was understandable.
Juventus already needed two goals to force extra time.
If United scored first, the aggregate score would become 3–0 and Juventus would then need three away goals to go through.
Their original task had been difficult enough.
Cristiano clapped his hands and urged his teammates forward.
"Come on! Remember why we're here. Give everything!"
...
When Juventus restarted, possession eventually reached Pogba.
Old Trafford responded with a chorus of boos.
Many United supporters had never forgiven the manner of his departure, believing that he had tried to use his influence within the dressing room to force the club's hand.
Whatever Pogba's own reasoning had been, the resentment remained obvious.
Pogba heard every second of it.
He had always been an emotional player.
Sometimes that emotion lifted him; at other times it encouraged him to complicate situations that required a simpler decision.
McTominay approached.
Pogba escaped the first pressure but held onto the ball rather than releasing it.
He took one extra touch, then another, seemingly determined to show the crowd that the noise did not bother him.
The hesitation instead allowed McTominay to recover.
Scott did not dive into a tackle.
He simply positioned himself to force Pogba toward the touchline.
Wan-Bissaka stepped up from behind.
The two United players closed the space together.
Even then, Pogba's quality remained obvious.
He placed his body between McTominay and the ball, waited until Wan-Bissaka committed another step, and threaded a pass through the narrow gap.
Cristiano received from the left and cut toward the center.
Thiago Silva stepped out.
Cristiano shaped to shoot, forcing Thiago to brace for the attempt, but instead laid the ball sideways toward Dybala.
The Argentine took over with Maguire in front of him.
He shifted his weight left and right several times, eventually creating enough room to curl a shot toward the far corner.
De Gea read it early and caught the ball cleanly.
"Dybala finally gets a sight of goal, but De Gea handles it comfortably," Drury said.
Beglin added, "The finish isn't strong enough to trouble him, but the buildup is much closer to what Juventus need. Pogba breaks the first pressure, Cristiano links the attack, and Dybala receives facing goal rather than with his back to it."
De Gea held the ball against his chest and looked upfield.
Ling was already beginning to move.
Juventus had just produced their first promising combination of the night.
United were already looking for the counterattack.