Did Ferguson also mock Arsenal for being boring? The truth is revealed! The legendary manager may return to the Theater of Dreams next season

Following Arsenal's penalty shootout defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final, they were heavily mocked, particularly by London competitors such as Chelsea and Tottenham and their players. It has been reported that Manchester United icon Sir Alex Ferguson also took a veiled dig at their playing style during the final.

In the final staged in Budapest, the Premier League champions, led by Arteta, employed a defensive strategy, recording a possession rate of just 24.7%—the lowest ever for any team in a Champions League final since such data began being tracked. Havertz's early goal was the Gunners' only shot on target in the entire match.

French media L'Équipe reported that Ferguson mentioned this in a congratulatory message to PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, criticizing Arsenal's approach as "boring." During his 26-year tenure at United, the veteran manager won the Champions League twice, reached two other finals, and engaged in open attacking battles with Barcelona, ultimately losing both times.

Notably, in the 2011 final at Wembley in London, United were clear underdogs, yet Ferguson still instructed his team to attack, eventually losing 3-1 to Barcelona. Afterwards, players like Rooney admitted they thought the team should have adopted a more defensive tactic.

The message from Ferguson revealed by L'Équipe read: "Nasser, it's Ferguson. Well done, your team had a tough game last night, but you faced a boring team that only defended and did nothing else. Enjoy your holiday, you deserve it."

However, regarding Ferguson's specific wording, British media claimed he did not directly call Arsenal boring but used a suggestive approach, praising PSG as "the team that played football."

This is still a criticism of Arsenal's style, albeit more subtle, and fits Ferguson's classic manner. Even in a congratulatory message, the veteran couldn't resist taking a dig at his former rivals! His assessment of Arsenal is likely to anger Gunners fans.

But PSG players agreed, with Portuguese midfielder João Neves publicly echoing Ferguson's view that Saint-Germain was the only team truly playing football. "We deserved this title," said João Neves. "On the pitch, I saw only one team. We created chances, had the most possession, and played better."

Ferguson suddenly fell ill before the Premier League match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford and was hospitalized. He has since been discharged to continue recovery at home but missed the remainder of United's season. Richard Bevan, CEO of the League Managers Association (LMA), revealed that Ferguson therefore could not attend the annual awards ceremony but is recovering.

The Manchester Evening News reported that the 84-year-old Ferguson received preventive treatment at a local hospital, but his current condition still does not allow him to attend public events. He was originally scheduled to present the award to the Manager of the Year winner at the LMA annual awards ceremony. After being forced to miss it, he wrote a letter to the winner, Coventry's Frank Lampard, with England boss Thomas Tuchel presenting the award on his behalf. The Manager of the Year trophy is named the Sir Alex Ferguson Trophy.

When presenting the award, Tuchel specifically noted: "Of course, it's not the same without Sir Alex here. We wish him all the best, a speedy recovery, and hope he can stand on the pitch with us again next year. Until then, I am honored to read this letter to you, Frank (Lampard)."

In his letter, Ferguson wrote: "Dear Frank, congratulations on winning the LMA Manager of the Year award. You should be very proud of what you and your team have achieved. Your personality as a manager and leader is clearly reflected in the exciting football your team has played this season—full of confidence and dignity. I thoroughly enjoyed watching your games. From our conversations, I know you are humble and have a thirst for knowledge, which are very important qualities. Frank, I believe winning this award means a lot to you. I wish you all the best in the Premier League next season."

Lampard led Coventry to the Championship title this season, thereby winning the honor ahead of Arsenal's Arteta, who only received the Premier League Manager of the Year award. Manchester United manager Carrick, along with Guardiola, Iraola, Andrews, and Regis Le Bris, were all on the six-man shortlist.

Before the final round of Premier League matches, Ferguson also sent a message to Guardiola, who was set to leave Manchester City. Guardiola confirmed: "One of the biggest compliments I've received was getting a message from Sir Alex yesterday. It made me very happy. What did it say? Because of his Scottish accent, I didn't understand! I'll call him back. He is the greatest manager in this country, and it means a lot to me."

British media predict that by the start of next season, Ferguson should be able to return to Old Trafford to cheer on his protégé Carrick's team. He will hope to see his side become title contenders and even reclaim the Premier League trophy.