da leao： The Sunday newspapers will be filled this weekend by the story of a left-footed magician’s Wembley triumph. The only question is who that magician will be. While Lionel Messi has had everyone waxing lyrical since his fabulous display in the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid, the normally media-shy Ryan Giggs had also had his fair share of press attention. Recent stories may have damaged Giggs’ clean-cut reputation, and deprived him of a training session, but they have done little to alter his position as a potential match-winner for Manchester United in Saturday’s final against the much-fancied Barcelona. For both players the game will offer an opportunity. For Messi, the opportunity to further enhance the belief that he may be the greatest player in living memory. For Giggs, the opportunity to seize his rightful place as a marvel of modern European football.
da heads bet： Within the British Isles, Giggs has long been respected as one of if not the finest player of his generation, as demonstrated by the recent Premier League ‘Team of the Decade’, voted for by managers from England’s top tier, where Giggs received 87% of the votes for the left-wing slot. But his reputation does not seem to have spread to Europe in the same way as some of the team-mates who have stood alongside him at Old Trafford over the past twenty years. Paul Scholes, for example, has long been held in high regard. In 2001 Edgar Davids described him as the best midfielder in Europe, while Pep Guardiola has described him as the best he has ever seen in the build up to Saturday’s clash. When Real Madrid decided to go to United in search of a new ‘galactico’ in 2003, meanwhile, they plumped for David Beckham. Giggs, it seems, has always been highly rated, but never quite as highly as his talents deserved. His importance to the team has always been paramount, however, and while Ferguson insisted in the recent ‘bangate’ press conference that all of his players were important, if Manchester United are to beat Barcelona under the arch and life their fourth European Cup then Giggs, even at 37, will have a huge part to play.
The Welshman, after all, is wonderful at times. When the Stretford End gleefully sings ‘Giggs will tear you apart again’ they are referring of course, to the mazy dribbles that dazzled the Premier League’s finest defenders during the 1990s and early 2000s. His goal against Arsenal in the last ever FA Cup semi-final remains one of the best of all time, as he embarrassed the famous back four with his electric pace and phenomenal body-swerves before crashing the ball over David Seaman, who was then one of the finest goalkeepers on the planet. Giggs has lost much of the pace that made him England’s best left-sided player, but the ability to tear teams apart has remained with him. While his legs have slowed, his footballing brain and technical ability appear to have enhanced over the years to the extent that he is now one of the finest central midfield playmakers that the Premiership has to offer, and his vision and passing mean that the ability to embarrass defenders remains part of his repertoire. Indeed, his performance against Chelsea in the Champions League quarter final second leg at Old Trafford was as good as anything that the likes of Cesc Fabregas have offered this season. Remembering a player who has been so effective at such a high level in two different positions is difficult. Perhaps no other since the Premiership’s formation in 1992 has done it so effectively, highlighting what a magnificent footballer Giggs is.
And yet in Europe Giggs appears to continue to be seen as a supporting act. If the allegations this week had been focussed on Wayne Rooney, it is hard to believe that Barcelona’s camp would not have been taking full advantage with the snide and personal comments that are too often excused in football circles as ‘mind games’. Yet there has been no attempt to throw Giggs off his stride. The threat from the Welshman, it seems, has been somewhat underestimated. Perhaps if Giggs had played in a major international tournament he would have gained the plaudits he deserves. Or perhaps they have not come due to his somewhat underwhelming performances on Europe’s biggest stage. In the 1999 Champions League final he was stuck on the right wing. In 2008 he made an appearance only as a substitute. In 2009, meanwhile, he suffered as much as anyone as Barcelona ran riot, and was hauled off with 15 minutes left. Whatever the reason, it is surely one of football’s greatest injustices that Giggs’ ability remains somewhat unrecognised in Europe. It is an injustice that can be put right on Saturday, and if he outshines Messi, Xavi and Iniesta not even a superinjunction will be able to keep his name from the lips of the footballing world.
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