When Van Gaal messed it up in Kiev: Reiziger, midfielder

It is one of those coach attacks that remain in the memory. The picture of Michael reiziger, decent right back with great physique but evident technical deficiencies and even more creation, playing in Guardiola's position (not available in that match) at the stadium of Dynamo Kiev on October 22, 1997, it hurt to look at. But that's how Van Gaal was, Coach of convictions who pulled aces out of his sleeve and sometimes lit up for the better, and others to perpetrate soccer attacks. This was a huge mistake.

The Barça, with a 3-4-3 cruyffista but without the players to exercise it, was shaken that night by the Dynamo of Shevchenko and Rebrov, which scored three goals, smashed two balls into the sticks and did not make the biggest miracle wound (Hes was expelled after a gallop by Shevchenko so the match could be tougher). Surely, they were saving themselves for the historic match they played two weeks later on the field.

But let's go to the Van Gaal occurrence. ANDl Barça came out with Ferrer and Sergi as markers Y Couto as the only central. Let's say a player not too gifted to get the ball clean from behind. Reiziger played Guardiola, with terrible deficiencies for the two-touch game necessary for Barça in that position. Roger and Luis Enrique made of interiors Y Link Oscar. Up, Barça played with Figo, Rivaldo and Dugarry. No one knew Reiziger better than Van Gaal. He had had it at Ajax and knew exactly what he could give him and what not. Something went through his head that evening in Kiev.

The Dynamo, a great team that in those years came very close to the final, had a good range of players. Besides Shevchenko and Reborv, Gusin, Kosovskiy or Kalintvintsev. All under the command of Lobanovskiy, who punished Van Gaall's audacity with a 3-0 that the players accepted. “We tried everything but they were far superior, “admitted Figo, then a benchmark for Barça, at the end of the game.

Although I would win that League, the Barça crashed in the group stage when he was the big favorite and that left a very bad aftertaste. In addition to Dinamo, the PSV of Cocu, Nilis or Jonk also him complicated Y Newcastle too he rolled it with Asprilla as a star. Reiziger was always a respected player, but that invention of Van Gaal left his mark on him for a few months. At least, that is remembered, he did not repeat it.