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Last updated : 22 April 2003 By Editor
Bobby Charlton is looking forward to welcoming Real to Old
Trafford:

“Real Madrid were the first great European team. The won the
European Cup five years on the trot and were the first club
to bring in foreign players from South America, including
the greatest of all time as far as I am concerned in Alfredo
di Stefano. At that time, to have foreign players was
unusual. The Italians had a few but no-one else and because
there were no matches on TV, to see them live was a great
experience.

"I wasn't in the team the first time we played Real in the
1957 semi-final, so I watched the game from the stands and
was mesmerised by Di Stefano. I just couldn't believe one
man could have so much influence of the game. He was the
most intelligent player I have ever seen and when you
consider I only saw him when he was in his 30s, I shudder to
think what he was like as a younger man. Whenever we play
Real, we always try to invite former players over and it
would be lovely to see him again."

Phil Neville feels that defensive resilience is the key to
victory:

“Our aim is to keep a clean sheet. Even if there is 20
minutes to go and it's still 0-0, we will fancy our chances
because I have no doubt we can score twice at Old Trafford.
The big question is whether we can keep them out because
Real Madrid have some fantastic forward players."

Hierro isn’t getting carried away:

“The best thing would be for us to imagine the first game
had ended in a 0-0 draw because it would be a mistake for us
to try and defend our lead. We have got a good advantage,
but at the same time it could be dangerous if we relax and I
really think the ideal thing would be to think we were still
at 0-0.

"It's a vital game for us and we are all highly motivated.
There is no time to analyse our relative drop in form, we
have to think about our next game. Maybe we did allow
ourselves to get nervous against Barcelona. They took the
ball off us. We are much more accustomed to having it
ourselves and we weren't comfortable. We are either galactic
world-beaters or the lowest of the low. There are no half
measures here and everything is magnified."

The Real Madrid captain acknowledges that Real will not have
an easy time in Manchester:

"I think we will suffer there. Manchester United are a great
team and have some great players and we know it will be
hard."

But he is glad that the referee is Collina, who he sees as
the best there is:

"He is the best referee in the world and a guarantee," said
Hierro. "He doesn't give you anything but nor does he take
anything away."

Giggs is looking forward to taking on Madrid. He feels that
United are more than a match for the Spanish holders:

"I certainly disagree with the idea that Madrid are a much
better side than us. You would expect a side with that depth
of talent and playing at home to try to make home advantage
tell. That said, we are a quality side and on our night we
are a match for anyone in Europe.

"As a player you relish the chance to play and measure
yourself against the best players around. The likes of
Ronaldo, Zidane, Raul and Figo... who wouldn't want players
like that in their side? But we have some world-class
players ourselves, we're not daunted by the prospect of
facing them. We're relishing it.”

Giggs also points out the effect a good atmosphere inside
the ground can have on the team:

"When the fans are behind you there is nothing like it in
the world. Of course it has a great effect - it lifts your
confidence and you thrive in the atmosphere," he said. "The
supporters can be the difference between success and
failure. When you have more than 60,000 fans behind you it
can be very intimidating for the opposition."

Roy Keane has once again heaped praise on Zidane ahead of
the game:

"The best player I've ever come up against would have to be
Zidane. It seems so easy for him. He works hard on his game,
he is a physically strong player, he's got a great attitude
and has all the attributes. Look at his goal in the European
Cup final last year. That's a top player, on top of his
game. To score, on his weak side, a volley coming out of the
air it was fantastic, and it was a great goal to win the
European Cup it really was.

"I think he was the only player in the world who could have
finished that goal and for that alone I think Real Madrid
deserved to win it. You've got to take your hat off to him.
He would have to be the best, and he's still probably
improving which is the frightening thing for all of us!"

Quoted in the Sun he went on to talk about his personal
feelings surrounding the European Cup.

"I didn't feel part of it on the night we won. That's taking
away nothing from the team. They were magnificent and I
partied with all of them you know, but deep, deep down I
felt I'd missed out.

"I got a medal back at the hotel but the medal means
absolutely nothing to me. That's no disrespect to anybody,
no disrespect to the players or the staff or the club.
That's my own personal feeling. That's why, obviously, I'm
trying to go and win my first one."

He feels that the current team has enough talent to win the
competition:

"If this team was to retire in a few years' time, and a lot
of us will be retiring in a few years' time, you look back
and say you won the European Cup once. That is why this year
we are determined to try and win it."