Source: Telegraph
Manchester United v Barcelona: Michael Carrick aiming to add to medalhaul
At 25, Carrick had spent seven years in the game with West Ham United and Spurs without the merest whiff of silverware and, after accepting Roy Keane's No 16 shirt at Old Trafford at the height of Chelsea's domestic dominance, there was no guarantee that his luck would change at United.
But in direct contrast to his career before United, Carrick has known nothing but success at Old Trafford and, alongside the five major trophies he has won at the club, not once have questions been raised over his right to have Keane's number on his back.
Rome can bring Carrick's second European Cup winners medal and the England midfielder admits that life at United has exceeded every expectation he carried north from White Hart Lane.
He said: 'I came here knowing how big the club was and how successful they had been in the past, so I expected to be challenging for things.
'But I never thought for one minute that I would achieve this much. We have been fighting on all fronts in every season I have been here. It's just great and it is what you want to be doing as a footballer.
'When we beat Chelsea in Moscow to win the Champions League last year, we knew how special it was and, to achieve it like we did, it was like the fulfilment of all of our dreams.
'But to achieve it again in Rome, I will appreciate it even more knowing how tough it was in the first place. It is something really special and we don't want to let it slip.'
Achieving the distinction of becoming the first club to defend the European Cup since AC Milan in 1990 is high on the agenda within the United dressing-room.
And Carrick claims that back-to-back European titles would enable the current United team to be considered as one of the greats.
He said: 'It's a great incentive for us, knowing that no team has done it [retained the Champions League] before. It would be a very special night if we could pull it off.
'If we could win the Champions League on the back of winning the Premier League again, it would be something else.
'If we do it, it would be something special and we could take up the argument about being a great team after that.'
