Euro failures haunt Fergie
21 May 2008 - 09:49:43
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted he is hoping to 'fill the vacuum in his life' by winning the Champions League Final.
United face Chelsea in Moscow on Wednesday evening with Ferguson desperate to improve on his and the club's record in Europe's premier club competition.
The Red Devils have been crowned European champions on just two occasions - and once under Ferguson - and the veteran Scot is keen to write a fresh chapter in the club's history.
United lag behind the majority of their rivals in the pursuit of European crowns - Real Madrid have won it nine times, AC Milan on seven occasions, while Liverpool are five-time champions.
"It has been a tremendous disappointment not to have gone to the final sooner," he said, referring to their last success in Barcelona in 1999.
"We have reached two semi-finals - against Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan - and it leaves a void and vacuum in your life that is hard to explain so we are delighted to be back.
"I have said many times that we have an illustrious history, but there is weakness in terms of European trophies won. I hope we can go some way to putting that right.
"You do not get to European finals too often and you have to relish the moment."
Meanwhile, Ferguson has backed his players to produce a better performance than in last season's disappointing FA Cup Final defeat to Chelsea.
"We are fresher than we were for last year's final," he continued.
"I trust my players and they've got the nerve and the courage and that will make a difference."