Roma President James Pallotta Invited Sir Alex to Barcelona Clash for Good Luck
After Roma completed a historic Champions League comeback to beat Barcelona and progress to the semi finals of the competition this week, president James Pallotta has revealed that he had personally invited two-time winning manager Sir Alex Ferguson to watch the game.
Ferguson twice collected the Champions League trophy, in 1999 and 2008, during his time with Manchester United and led his team to further finals in 2009 and 2011.
As such, it seems that American businessman Pallotta saw Fergie as a 'good luck charm' and wanted him at Stadio Olimpico as the drama unfolded on Tuesday for precisely that reason.
"That's why I made Sir Alex come here, to bring good luck," a jubilant Pallotta, who has now apologized for getting 'carried away' and jumping into a fountain during the celebrations with fans, told a group of reporters after the game.
Goals from Edin Dzeko, Daniele de Rossi and Kostas Manolas gave Roma the 3-0 second leg win they needed to successfully overturn a 4-1 aggregate deficit and go through on away goals.
Football and sport in general is so superstitious that it would hardly be a surprise if Ferguson is invited back when Roma play in the last four in the coming week
They will learn the identity of their opponent when the draw is made at UEFA HQ in Nyon, Switzerland at Friday lunchtime. Liverpool, Real Madrid or Bayern Munich stands in the way of a first European final for the Giallorossi since the 1991 UEFA Cup.
