Giggs relives United resurgence

European disappointment provided the spark for success

By Chris Burton   Last updated: 20th May 2008

Ryan Giggs Manchester United Premier League Football Wigan

Giggs: Legend

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Ryan Giggs believes that Manchester United's European humiliation in 2005 provided the catalyst for their subsequent success.

The Welsh winger was part of the Red Devils side which lost 2-1 away in Benfica that season to send them crashing out of the UEFA Champions League at the group stages.

Few would have imagined at the time that, three years later, United would be preparing for a final showdown with Chelsea, but Giggs insists that the squad never lost faith.

The desire to avoid a repeat of the gut-wrenching disappointment they suffered at Estadio da Luz has reinvigorated a side which stands on the cusp of securing a domestic and European Double.

It is not the first time Giggs has been forced to lift himself from the depths of despair though, and he feels United's current situation mirrors their spectacular response to handing the league title to Leeds back in 1992.

Determination

"Maybe people on the outside looked at us and said this could be the end of an era but I never thought so," said Giggs.

"Sometimes a disappointment like that can help you and that might have been the case with Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney.

"I certainly felt that way about Leeds winning the championship.

"There was an added pressure but I also remember going away that summer thinking 'I don't want to feel like this again'.

"Fans were coming up to me saying 'are we ever going to win the league'? It was horrible. But you need that determination to succeed. It is just a question of where it comes from."

Giggs was only just starting out when the Red Devils threw the title away 16 years ago, but since then he has become an Old Trafford legend with an envious collection of medals.

Right decision

He has the opportunity to break the club's all-time appearance record against Chelsea on Wednesday, and Giggs admits that this situation may never have arrived had he taken up any of the numerous offers he received to move abroad during the early stages of his career.

"I think I was right to stay at United," he said.

"When I first came through Serie A was the place to be. All the best players went there. Now, the majority of the great players are playing in England.

"Cristiano Ronaldo has been the best player in the world for the last two years. Before that it was Thierry Henry.

"The best two keepers are both playing tomorrow in Edwin van der Sar and Petr Cech. The list goes on.

"Ronaldinho and Kaka have both said they see themselves playing in the Premier League. You would not have had that 15 years ago.

"There is no doubt in my mind England has the best league in the world. It has proved that by having three teams in the semi-finals of the last two Champions Leagues and it will go on proving that."