Manchester United was the first English team to make the foray into the European Cup, participating in the tournament despite the express disapproval of the Football League. They were also the first English winners of the trophy. Over the years, United's European adventures have spanned tragedy - the 1958 Munich Air Disaster - and triumph - three European Cup wins - and have provided no shortage of memorable stories. Despite United being only the eighth most successful club in the competition's history, the United name is irrevocably linked to the European Cup. 'The Pride of All Europe'...

Louis van Gaal is a paradox from top to toe. This is the man who, when unveiled as Bayern Munich manager in 2009, described himself like this: "I am what I am; self-confident, arrogant, dominant, honest, industrious, innovative." Former players have described him as "scary," as a "volcano." The former Barcelona president described him as "the devil himself." At Bayern, they said he "vaangalised" their team. And yet at the same time, he is "warm-blooded." He openly admits: "I cry almost every day. There's always something that touches me." Barcelona's Xavi says of him: "People see him as...

The manager everyone loves to hate... Mercurial Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho, who regards himself as football's equivalent of George Clooney, featured in his own blockbuster this summer when he took charge of Manchester United - the world's biggest club. The news sent shockwaves through the Old Trafford faithful - generations of whom have pledged their loyalty to a succession of managerial legends including Sir Matt Busby and Sir Alex Ferguson. At the very outset of what promises to be a tumultuous season for the Red Devils, Andrew J Kirby investigates in his latest book Jose Mourinho:...