Luis "Paso Doble" Figo

**brehme1989** · 18 May 18, 08:02

Originally Posted by Toninu

We were basically out of the CL against Liverpool and Mancini asked Figo to come on in a game that was over.

In a game where he should have started....

Mancini's line up was:

------------------------Cesar
Maicon------Rivas------------Burdisso------Chivu

-----------Zanetti-----Vieira-------Cambiasso

----------------------Stankovic

---------------Zlatan---------------Cruz

In a game where we needed to get 2 goals to get to extra time. He left Crespo and Figo off the starting line up.

**Toninu** · 18 May 18, 10:16

Not really, Stankovic was better in the role tbh. Figo after getting injured by Nedved was a shadow of himself, I think the tension started when Figo started seeing less of the pitch and it hurt his pride and Mancini who also has quite the ego didn't do much to calm him down but tbh Figo was winding down in his career so I don't blame Mancio for not playing him and reading the posts most of us really thought Figo was unprofessional for not coming on.

**brehme1989** · 18 May 18, 10:34

My issue is not with Stankovic starting at the #10. The issue is with 3 defensive minded midfielders and a defensive left back when Chivu was probably better as a CB that season (it was like 60% of the time a CB and 40% a LB or some other weird situation Mancini wanted him in, like a DM he played for Romania or even a left sided midfielder so that Maxwell could move forward).

The ref screwed us with that Leiva-Burdisso incident, but Mancini fucked up even more with his clown tactics once again, hoping that Zlatan would pull a magic trick and win us the game.

**Wallace** · 18 May 18, 23:11

I never liked Stankovic in the AM spot really, it was never meant for him.

I'm really glad Mourinho saw that spot as a sign of weakness and signed Sneijder, and moved Stankovic back to a more box to box workhorse role.

Can't argue for this specific situation though as I don't remember anymore. But Figo never had an issue playing a rotational role under Mourinho, so obviously there's some relationship issues Mancini didn't really deal with. It's part of the job really.