Ryan Giggs
The UEFA Champions League final this weekend between Barcelona and Manchester United at Wembley is fast attracting added news attention, with the ash cloud resulting from the eruption of Grimsvoetn, now raising concerns over a repeat of last year's travel chaos which led to the biggest shutdown of European airspace since World War II. Consequently it is expected that the Barcelona manager, Pep Guardiola, will decide on Tuesday if the team should travel earlier than planned to London to avoid the problem
Last season in the Champions League semi–final first leg against Inter Milan, Guardiola’s team were forced to travel by bus to Italy after European airports were shut down, with two buses used to transport the team to the San Siro. The journey was taken in two parts, with the 634 kilometres to Cannes the first part, for an overnight stay, before covering the last 351 kilometres to Milan on the Monday before the match. The records show that Inter won the match 3-1 and then qualified for the final after Barcelona were unable to reduce the deficit in the home leg.
Perhaps scarred by the loss to Jose Mourinho, Guardiola wants to avoid the sense of deja- vu, especially against United, and cede no advantage to Ferguson.
The Barcelona manager is clearly aware of the challenge he faces as at a pre-final press conference on Monday when asked what most scares him about Manchester United, Pep Guardiola replied:
"Everything, absolutely everything."
In the other dug out Sir Alex Ferguson has been busy taking a swipe over the weekend at the social networking phenomenon that now pervades the daily life of Premier League footballers, Twitter, saying he failed to see its appeal. Although that maybe the case, it is one of his veteran players, and all time Old Trafford heroes, Ryan Giggs, that dominates the headlines in the build-up. And not just the sporting ones either.
Of all years, it is probably the one that may prove the Ferguson least wanted at Wembley as the media frenzy threatens to add a disruptive force to all his careful planning in a story that has attracted comment even from the British Prime Minister, David Cameron. As it stands, for Ryan Giggs the final is already proving bitter sweet on many levels.
With 12 Premier League and two UEFA Champions League winners' medals to his name, Giggs knows what it takes to succeed at the top after helping United lift their second European Champion Clubs' Cup in 1999 and scoring the final spot kick in their shoot-out victory over Chelsea nine years later.
However the following season was not a happy memory for the 37-year-old Welshman, after United came up short against Barcelona in Rome and at Wembley it is his hope that he will get a chances to amend the 2009 record. But while the Welshman respects the Spanish champions, he feels United have heeded the lessons of that 2-0 reverse at the Stadio Olimpico.
"Barcelona have that experience and confidence from winning the trophy,"
"A lot of their players went on to win the World Cup so they're an experienced world-class team. But we've learned from that final and got better as a team. The sides aren't too dissimilar to a couple of years ago – they are both very good teams, the best in their country."
It will be a difficult balancing act trying to stop the likes of Lionel Messi, Xavi Hernández and Andrés Iniesta, while attempting to impose their own game on Guardiola's men.
"You have to realise they are a talented team and you try to stop them and their key players," he explained. "Then you have to try to stamp your authority on the game and play the way you do. Manchester United are all about attacking football, about scoring more goals than the other team, and that will never change."
If Barcelona were strong in 2009 they have got better in the last two campaigns, adding the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup that same year. They have also lifted La Liga titles in each of the last two seasons.
Giggs, though, cautions against describing them as the best ever. "You can never say that. Clubs are determined by success, by doing it time and again. On their day they are as good as anyone. But so are we. We know we're up against a good team, but we are ready to try and win the Champions League."
"You could feel the history at the old Wembley," he said. "Obviously it's different now but it's Wembley, probably the most famous stadium in the world. It's the home of football and it will be a great place, hopefully, to win the Champions League."
When Giggs arrived at Old Trafford, United's only success in Europe's elite competition had come at the north London ground in 1968. Now a fourth European crown beckons along with a proud legacy. "It's a special event because the first time we won it, was at Wembley. You have just got to go through the teams to see the great players and the legends, like Sir Bobby Charlton, who is still at the club.
"It's what sets this club apart – the history and the great players that have played here, the manner we play football. I believe this is the greatest football club in the world. Hopefully we can build on that history and legacy so in 30, 40 years' time they are talking about this team, like they talk about the one from '68 as a great team."
Speaking about the old Wembley Giggs explained “You could feel the history at the old Wembley,"
"Obviously it's different now but it's Wembley, probably the most famous stadium in the world. It's the home of football and it will be a great place, hopefully, to win the Champions League.
It was in 1968 that Manchester United won their first European Cup when they beat Portuguese giants, Benfica.
No comments:
Post a Comment