Manchest United Rules

Sir Alex Ferguson's greatest triumphs have been built on a desire to play with a style and verve he believes is demanded at Manchester United.

Ferguson insists United must never be seen to take a backward step - with any other course of action being regarded as a betrayal of Old Trafford traditions.

It has proved irresistible at home as Ferguson has cleaned up on the domestic scene, but an Achilles heel in Europe as United's high-risk approach failed too often at the crucial times in the Champions League.

Ferguson admits one Champions League win in his silver-lined Old Trafford era is a meagre return for the talent he has had at his disposal.

But they delivered an all-round display against Barcelona that confirmed their growing maturity on the European stage this season.

Robbed of key duo Wayne Rooney and Nemanja Vidic, United simply found new heroes to lead them to glory against a Barcelona side who threatened right up until the last of six nail-biting minutes of injury.

The win was the result of a magnificent display of defensive discipline and resilience that came from the very top drawer.

Paul Scholes - the great United servant who missed the 1999 triumph through suspension - will deservedly claim the glory for a spectacular winning goal that gives him a shot at redemption in Moscow.

Heroes were everywhere as United held firm faced by a team with greater artistic merit, but not the hunger or desire to pierce the red wall of defiance.

And none were bigger than Rio Ferdinand and Wes Brown, who put everything on the line in the sort of "they shall not pass" defensive display that United have failed to produce in previous losing semi-finals.

Ferdinand was peerless, right down to soaring headed clearance in the dying seconds. It was symbolic of a magnificent personal performance.

And Brown, much-maligned and in some instances deservedly so, was simply immense as he joined Ferdinand to form an inpenetrable barrier.

They had an unlikely ally in striker Carlos Tevez, who gave the perfect example in defending from the front to set the tone for United's performance.

And with Scholes providing the decisive moment of magic that separated the sides, it is United who head to Moscow for the first all-English final against Chelsea or Liverpool on 21 May.

They will be propelled by a sense of destiny 50 years on from the Munich air disaster, and with a more rounded team than they have had at their disposal in recent times.

United possess the flair of Cristiano Ronaldo, Rooney and Tevez, but now they have a streak of steel that has made the difference between this campaign and others.

And then they have their manager.

Ferguson's raging fire remains undimmed. He possesses a unique hunger for the game that almost comes from a forgotten era. He has a passionate, combustible personality that divides opinions, but what is indisputable he is one of the all-time great managers.

He has fashioned a new United that looks well-equipped to bring the famous trophy back to Old Trafford for a third time - although Chelsea and Liverpool will have other ideas.

For now, however, Ferguson is entitled to celebrate a momentous night and a famous victory by joining the celebrations with an expensive bottle of his beloved red wine.