MACHEDA REVEALS FERGUSON CONTACT YEARS LATER

Panathinaikos striker Federico Macheda has revealed that legendary Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson called him last year to check on his well-being. Federico Macheda made a big break as an unknown youngster under Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United but he was unable to sustain it as his professional football career embarked on a downward slope until he found consistency in Greece in the colours of Panathinaikos.

Italian player Federico Macheda stunned the Premier League as a 17-year-old attacker when he scored the winning goal for the Red Devils in a tough league match at home to Aston Villa. Manchester United were in serious danger of losing their lead at the Premier League summit with Rafael Benitez and Liverpool closing in on the Old Trafford giants after two successive league defeat. Manchester United were on their way to a third consecutive defeat against Villa before Federico Macheda intervened. His big moment at home to Aston Villa back to life in the title race.

Federico Macheda had signed for Manchester United from the Lazio youth team at the start of that 2008/09 season and he got his chance towards the end of the season. The 29-year-old came off the bench as an unknown teenage striker to score the winning goal of the game after Cristiano Ronaldo had equalised. Federico Macheda came on with the scoreline at 2-1 in favour of the visitors. He would go on to score another important goal against Sunderland in the following week. His strike against Sunderland was also the winning goal. Manchester United was able to wrap up the league title for the season thanks to the big help from Macheda.

In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, Federico Macheda, who has scored 30 goals in 80 games for his Greek club, talked about his recent interaction with Sir Alex Ferguson as mentioned above. Federico Macheda left Manchester United to join Sampdoria on loan two years after his breakthrough season at the club and he was very vocal about how the move to Sampdoria almost ruined his football career during the Daily Mail interview.