Double chance keeps Giggs focused

Thursday, 3 May 2007
by Michael Harroldfrom Milan
Manchester United FC midfielder Ryan Giggs called on his side to put the disappointment of losing their UEFA Champions League semi-final against AC Milan behind them as they continue their quest for silverware.
'Look forward'United lost 3-0 at San Siro as goals from Kaká, Clarence Seedorf and Alberto Gilardino saw them crash out 5-3 on aggregate, but Giggs knows the Premiership leaders still have plenty to play for. United play rivals Manchester City FC on Saturday and will be crowned champions should they win and Chelsea FC fail to beat Arsenal FC the following day. They then face Chelsea in the FA Cup final. "We're in a good position, our season isn't over," Giggs said. "That's what we've got to tell ourselves now. We've got to look forward to Saturday, a big game, and get ourselves up for that."
Bad startWhile Milan contemplate a second final against Liverpool FC in three seasons, United were left to reflect on a missed opportunity. "Disappointing obviously," Giggs said. "We just didn't perform on the night and Milan deserved to go through. When you come away in Europe you need to silence the crowd and we didn't do that. We didn't start well and we didn't recover from that. I think we were well matched - I think we showed that in the first game - but we just didn't perform for whatever reason. In both ties we allowed bad goals and you can't do that against a class team like Milan. We still feel we were good enough to go through but tonight we just didn't perform."
OptimismBelief was high in the United ranks after their superb 7-1 demolition of AS Roma in the quarter-finals and another strong display at Old Trafford against Milan last week. With Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo leading the new generation, Giggs believes United fans have much to look forward to. "There's massive potential throughout the team and we've shown that this season on a consistent basis. We've now got to finish off the season on a high hopefully and do well in the league and the cup." As for the UEFA Champions League final, Giggs believes it's too close to call. "Two good teams with a lot of experience in the Champions League. They met a couple of years ago so they know each other. It's anyone's, whoever performs on the night."
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Gattuso hails Milan metamorphosis

Thursday, 3 May 2007
by Richard Aikmanfrom Milan
AC Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso described his side's UEFA Champions League semi-final victory against Manchester United FC as "an incredible achievement" and the prospect of playing in the final as "the ultimate for any player".
Selfless workMilan managed to transform a 3-2 first-leg deficit into 5-3 aggregate win after goals by Kaká, Clarence Seedorf and Alberto Gilardino gave the Rossoneri an impressive 3-0 win at San Siro. However, the Italian giants' owed as much to Gattuso's selfless hard work as they did to their goalscorers. The 29-year-old's performance, which was marked by countless crunching tackles and ferocious determination, earned him uefa.com users' Man of the Match award.
'Incredible achievement'"It was an incredible achievement," he said. "It seemed easy but we know what we've been through this season and it hasn't been at all easy to get to this point. Back in November/December we hadn't had a proper pre-season to prepare, we were a side that was totally lost. We weren't in good shape at all and everyone was criticising us - rightly so because our league position was awful. It was a terrible time."
'Ultimate' stageGattuso was part of the Italy squad that won the FIFA World Cup last summer, but he is equally excited about playing in a third UEFA Champions League final. "Getting to the final of the Champions League is the ultimate for any player and to reach a third one in five years is unbelievable - an extraordinary achievement. Only great sides can do this sort of thing. This is why we are so happy, because we were being slaughtered from all quarters and now we've reached the final."
'No revenge'The Athens finale is a repeat of the 2005 edition, which Liverpool FC won on penalties, but the former Rangers FC player is not vengeful, saying: "There's no revenge. It's just footballing history. It's how history has been written. I hope we don't suffer another hammer blow like last time. [Paolo] Maldini told me it's his eighth final. He's won four won and lost three - let's hope he makes it 5-3 and I make it 2-1. It will be a hard final because Liverpool are a very hard team, really tough. They are very different to Manchester. In my opinion, they are reminiscent of the Italian sides of the 1990s. They play a good catenaccio, are deadly on the counterattack and they have a coach who will be there for a long, long time."
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