'I regret leaving Man Utd when I did – I couldn't believe what the manager said'

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Peter Schmeichel has confessed he departed Manchester United too early and wishes he had spoken with Sir Alex Ferguson sooner. The Danish legend ranks among United's greatest goalkeepers and was integral to the historic Treble-winning side in 1999.

Yet that iconic evening at the Nou Camp, when United clinched the Champions League in the most dramatic circumstances imaginable, turned out to be his final appearance for the club. Schmeichel had already committed to joining Sporting CP, having grown mentally drained by his demanding schedule for both club and country.

He reached his decision a year prior to leaving, following Denmark's exit from the 1998 World Cup, when Ferguson insisted he report back to the club straight away.

Speaking to former Old Trafford team-mates Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt on The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast, Schmeichel said: "I was worn out, completely worn out.

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"I'd had four consecutive years without a single break. I had the European Championship and the World Cup, so every two years. And in the years without championships, I had operations.

"I played every game as well. We're in the World Cup in the July, get knocked out by Brazil. I phoned the manager the next day and said, 'When do you want me back?' And he said, 'Tomorrow.' And I'm like, 'Tomorrow? I can't.'

"I should have spoken to him. I should have said, 'I want to play every Premier League game but the League Cup, you can play Raymond [van der Gouw, the second-choice keeper]. Maybe now and again, maybe not play me in a game.' I didn't realise that could have been an option."

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In the following campaign, Schmeichel did have that conversation with Ferguson and was genuinely taken aback by the reaction. Nevertheless, there was no reversing his choice to depart. He added: "I knocked on the [manager's] door and said, 'I'm know I'm not playing well but I'm drained, mentally drained. I need a break.'

"And instead of arguing, he looked at the fixture list and goes, 'Yeah, you can go away there,' even though it was like two months ahead. I was like, 'Whoa,' and I started to play all right again.

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"Had I done that at the time, I probably would have stayed, I know I should have stayed."

Schmeichel spent two years at Sporting before returning to the Premier League with Aston Villa , ultimately rounding off his playing days with Manchester City .

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