MANCHESTER // Ryan Giggs enters what is expected to be his final Uefa Champions League tie by declaring that Manchester United can shock the favourites Bayern Munich and win the competition.
The 40 year old, who is considering retiring in the summer, believes United, despite only being seventh in the Premier League, have the potential to conquer the continent.
“Of course it is possible,” said the Welshman, a Champions League winner in both 1999 and 2008, ahead of Tuesday’s first leg. “You need to play well, to get that little bit of luck. Bayern are a fantastic team and they are favourites in most people’s eyes.
“We don’t see ourselves as underdogs, we see ourselves as Manchester United playing at home. We have had so many great nights at Old Trafford.”
The last was inspired by Giggs, who excelled in the 3-0 victory over Olympiakos that clinched United’s place in the quarter-finals. It was his only start since January during a time when there have been rumours of a falling out with manager David Moyes.
“There is no problem with the manager,” he said. “I don’t know where that came from. The relationship is good. Of course as a player you want to play all the time but you know you are not going to play every game. You can’t sulk.”
Giggs, who has won two Champions Leagues and 13 league titles, is the most decorated player in United’s history and has made 961 appearances since he debuted in 1991.
But, as he conceded, a career like no other could come to an end this summer.
“I don’t know,” he said, when asked if he will play on. “I am just trying to enjoy this season and then at the end I will take stock and see what I want to do.”
If United do go out, the double-header with Bayern will prove his last taste of European football. Indeed, as it stands, they are not on course to qualify for next season’s Europa League.
Nevertheless, Moyes was in bullish mood as he contemplated a first meeting with Bayern’s Pep Guardiola on the touchline.
“I am really looking forward to coming up against him,” he said. “It is the first time I have done so but I have no doubt I will be doing it many times in the future.”
For Moyes, and United, it is about striking a balance between recognising their best chance of victory lies at Old Trafford and the unspoken fear that, should they be too bold, the tie could be decided before the second leg at the Allianz Arena.
“We have to be mindful,” said Moyes. “We want to go out to Germany with an opportunity to go through. In the first leg there is always a bit of cautiousness but we would love a victory.”
United are waiting to discover if defenders Rafael da Silva, Chris Smalling and Jonny Evans will be fit, with Northern Irishman Evans the least likely to play.
Record signing Juan Mata is cup-tied and, with Giggs likely to be recalled, Moyes said: “We will, as everyone is aware, have to make one or two changes. We have defensive issues.”
Bayern's situation is altogether simpler: already crowned Bundesliga champions and unbeaten in 53 league games in domestic football, they are aiming to become the first team to retain the Champions League since AC Milan in 1990.
“They are probably the side most people have looked to recently,” Moyes said.
He certainly has. The Scot has scouted Bayern’s Toni Kroos but downplayed talk about a summer move for the Germany international.
"Bayern Munich have a lot of good players, not just Toni Kroos," he said. True, which illustrates the scale of the task facing United.
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