Soccer:Manchester United winger Nani is determined not to give the club's army of critics the satisfaction of seeing a dramatic fall from grace. When United crashed out of the Champions League in December, there were plenty who felt Sir Alex Ferguson would be forced to take the Europa League seriously because by the time his side played in it, that trophy would be the only one they could win.
Yet, in the middle of February, the Old Trafford outfit are still in the thick of a Premier League title challenge long after traditional top four rivals Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool have fallen away.
Even an FA Cup campaign that lasted only two matches before it came to its end at Anfield included a memorable third-round triumph at Manchester City.
So, after securing a first-leg win over Ajax in Amsterdam that makes next Thursday’s return a near formality, thus easing the pressure on Ferguson’s team selection ahead of back-to-back away games at Norwich and Tottenham Nani and his team-mates can look back on the last few weeks with a sense of quiet satisfaction.
“Everyone expects us to do something different, that we haven’t done in the past,” he said. “We have always been in first position. We have won so many trophies and reach the final of every competition. But, of course, sometimes you lose matches that you don’t anticipate.
“After we lost in the Champions League, a lot of people thought we would lose more games and see other teams win the trophies. But we are strong and we are fighting in every game to continue to give our supporters what they want; titles. That is what we want as well.”
Champions League finalists in three of the last four seasons there has been no sense of United being embroiled in a second-rate European competition. Ferguson’s team selection in the Amsterdam Arena reflected a clear intention to win and the large numbers of fans who made the short trip over from England played their part in an excellent atmosphere.
Whether United’s retain their enthusiasm depends upon the path they are handed towards the final in Bucharest on May 9th. Providing they do not falter at Old Trafford, Ferguson and his players will be dispatched to either Lokomotiv Moscow or Atletico Bilbao.
Clearly, a Thursday night game in Russia is not the ideal preparation for a Sunday lunchtime encounter with Wolves at Molineux. That is the task that would face United if Lokomotiv preserve the 2-1 lead they established over their Spanish opponents on home soil last night.
Metalist Kharkiv are a threat further on in the competition, as are Besiktas and Olympiakos, who would provide a more comfortable environment to stay in but just the same hostile atmosphere and lengthy journey.
Still, for now, the chance to join an elite list of clubs who have won all three major European trophies is enough to sustain Nani and his team-mates. “This is an important competition and we have to enjoy it,” he said.
“Of course, the Champions League is the most important trophy for everyone. It is the biggest trophy in Europe. But now we are here, we just think about this competition. The club has never won the trophy. Now we will try to do this.”
The obvious downside to last night’s triumph was the loss of Antonio Valencia for four weeks with a hamstring injury. Like so many members of United’s squad, the Ecuador star has been beset by injuries this term.
However, his recent performances have been excellent and his absence for a period that will include the Tottenham trip in addition to the next round of this competition will be keenly felt.
It is time therefore, for Nani and fellow winger Ashley Young to rediscover their early season form. Last night was a start, and for Young it brought a first goal since September, but evidently there is a lot of work to do based purely on the unforced errors both men made.
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