"Roony, Roony" was the chant ringing out in the stands, and with Manchester United on the pitch. Yet, this wasn't the Theatre of Dreams. It was a 'Theatre of Nightmares' as the tifo in FC Copenhagen's Parken stadium dubbed it, and 17-year-old Roony Bardghji had just scored a late winner for the Danish club against their famed opponents.
Six days shy of his 18th birthday, the Swedish youngster of Syrian origin (who was born in Kuwait) - had announced himself to the wider world with his first UEFA Champions League goal. An 87th-minute winner in a wild game that had United leading 2-0 courtesy Rasmus Hojlund, then had Marcus Rashford sent off, before Copenhagen levelled things with a penalty before half-time, United taking the lead with a penalty of their own in the 69th minute, after which the Danes scored twice in the final 10 minutes to win 4-3.
That final goal saw Bardghji become the youngest-ever player to score against Manchester United in the UCL and the youngest to score for Copenhagen in the competition.
For those within the Parken, for those scouting the next generation of talents and for those with a Football Manager obsession, it wasn't a surprise. Bardghji is considered one the biggest talents in the world and the 'Swedish Messi' had just introduced himself to the wider world.
Plenty have crumbled under the weight of the "___Messi" moniker, but Bardghji's first involvement 30 seconds after coming on in the 63rd minute saw him skip past Diogo Dalot and Sofyan Amrabat with a swivel of his hips and drop of his shoulder so eerily reminiscent of a young Argentinian doing so repeatedly at the Camp Nou. An onrushing Scott McTominay saw him hurry his shot and blast it into orbit, but the tone had been set.
Copenhagen fans held up a tifo saying "Your Theatre of Nightmares" to Manchester United prior to the match.
They called it �� pic.twitter.com/mw1GbVZMkq
- ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) November 8, 2023
Drifting from the right into central areas, Bardghji had the United rearguard back-pedalling in panic plenty of times as he drove forward. The left-footed Swedish winger added Harry Maguire to the list of names he was beating in a one-on-one and nearly created a winner in the 86th minute, a dangerous low cross that Andre Onana had to palm away, only for Viktor Claesson to fluff his lines with the rebound. No matter.
The ball was recycled by his teammates on the left wing and Bardghji repositioned himself with a bit of space on the right wing - Dalot scanning and noting the youngster, but opting to stay central. Despite his age, Bardghji had his arm up demanding the ball on the right side of the box as Nicolai Boilesen prepared to whip the ball in from the left.
This 17-year-old is no shrinking violet, as evidenced by his words to Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet a year ago: "My goal is to become the best footballer in the world. I've had that dream since I was a kid and nothing can stop me except myself... I want to end up in Real Madrid. I want to play there for many years."
He'd probably witnessed Raphael Varane lift many a Champions League trophy with Real Madrid on television, but the real-life Manchester United version in front of him was in the process of misjudging Boilesen's cross and thereby finding air instead of a clearing header. There were two of Bardghji's teammates - Orri Steinn Oskarsson and Lukas Lerager (who had scored to make it 3-3 in the 83rd minute) challenging Amrabat and Maguire for the cross. Dalot thus opted to cover the far post and had the cross not connected with anyone, would be in a position to clear.
Like the best of forwards, Bardghji sniffed a rebound and drifted away from Dalot to a more central location in the box. True to form, the cross ricocheted off Maguire's head and bounced invitingly in front of the 17-year-old winger. This was his moment - goal at his mercy, the chance to win it. There would be no blasting into orbit this time around.
He made doubly sure by opting not to volley it straight into the net. Eyes on the ball, Bardghji leathered his volley into the ground, the ball gathering pace off the wet surface and the bounce leaving Onana no chance. Ice in his veins, just like a Wayne Rooney or a Lionel Messi. Despite the broadcast commentator's assertion initially that the 17-year-old had mishit it, this was a pure, deliberate strike. It would only end up in the net, and it did.
COPENHAGEN MAKE IT 4-3 AGAINST MANCHESTER UNITED!
YOU CAN'T MAKE IT UP!!! �� pic.twitter.com/uJjnv67v9F
- ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) November 8, 2023
Pandemonium at the Parken. "Roony, Roony, Roony" ringing out in the stands. Just like Wayne did so in his Champions League debut with a hat-trick against Fenerbahce all those years ago, Bardghji had announced himself to the wider world.
Remember his name, because it will ring out many more times. Manchester United certainly will.