Champions League - O'Shea coy on final chances

Eurosport - Thu, 21 May 15:20:00 2009

Manchester United defender John O'Shea will not get excited about the Champions League final against Barcelona until he actually sees his name on the team-sheet.

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 Champions League Manchester United defender John O'Shea during the second-leg of the quarter-final against Porto. O'Shea says will not assume he is picked for the final until he sees name on team-sheet - 0

The Ireland defender, who was on the bench for last season's final victory over Chelsea but did not feature in the match, is certain to play according to his manager Alex Ferguson.

Ferguson took the unusual step on Wednesday of saying that O'Shea would start the match in Rome, describing him as an "unsung hero" of the Old Trafford squad.

O'Shea, however, is refusing to get carried away.

"The manager might have said something about me starting but you never take it for certain until you know for definite when he names the team in the team meeting," O'Shea said.

"You could say I have been rewarded for my patience but whether you are playing a bit part or a bigger part, I was always confident if I got a run in the team, I could show I could stay in it."

O'Shea said it was the result that mattered rather than whether he plays.

"It is going to be special game. I have played quite a bit in the Champions League this year and I have been fortunate that we have got through to the final."

United face a Barcelona team which have been rampant in front of goal this season, scoring 104 goals on the way to winning the Liga title led by Samuel Eto'o, Lionel Messi and Thierry Henry.

"We won't be attacking them too much because we know they have a huge attacking threat," O'Shea added. "But we are not too bad ourselves.

"Our front three is just as good as theirs and we have to focus on ourselves.

"We are going to show Barcelona huge respect but with our attacking threat they know they will have a tough job on their hands as well and we have to use it to our advantage."

Reuters

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  1. barca_nr_1! Dont be so overconfident!!! It's not­ that easy! It would be the thoughest game this season,­ Barca needs to be at there best to win! We need our­ total-football! Althrough, of course Barca is the­ better team this year! But win is not just for the­ bests in football! Sometimes is much more about luck!­ And thats why, MU got chance!!! Visca el Barca!!!

    From damnsoldja, on Fri 22 May 4:07PM

  2. Barca would have been a big problem to ManU if the­ likes of Alves and Marques were to play. I think just­ with Pique whom United players know too well because of­ his time there and Puyol who can bring diving Ronaldo­ down anytime to give advantage to to those free kicks­ Barca should be careful. remember Messi did play last­ time when they met United and Evra did stopped him. No­ doubt United do have a very organised defending force­ in Vidic and Ferdinand. I will bet for United winning­ but i can go anyway

    From Dam-Tony T, on Fri 22 May 2:26PM

  3. barca_nr_1 you are such a kid to talk about­ football...if you say that xavi are much better than­ scholes...correct me if i'm wrong, if i not­ mistaken, scholes are the main target of barca once­ because they know how good he is..even pavel nedved­ admit that he is big fan of paul scholes when he­ received the world footballer of the year award...if­ you say that english club have play 10 defensive player­ against barca and then 1 single striker or player of­ the club like scholes and essien did..able to score­ against your 11 star player..such a joke..why are the­ spaniard like that..u c what rafa did and what he­ get...and be carefull and ready cause u r the next one

    From harz1205, on Fri 22 May 7:05AM

  4. barca_nr_1 - I was reading your post till I got to the­ part about Scholes. If you can't show respect to­ Paul Scholes then you know absolutely nothing about­ football. I bet both Xavi and Iniesta are big fans of­ Scholes. And they would cry when they find out that­ someone so clueless about football claims to be a Barca­ fan. In fact, entire residents of Barcelona would be­ ashamed to have such an idiot among their ranks. Barca­ fans are gifted with chance to watch attractive­ football but you are making other Barca fans look like­ morons. The saddest thing is that you don't even­ understand your own team. Just by reading what you­ write about each players, I get the impression that you­ treat footballers like some sort of WWF pro-wrestlers.­ Yes, they may be your heroes but they are not some­ comedy action figures that fight your juvenile fantasy­ battles for you on the pitch. If you want to play this­ way then go back to playground, because the way you­ talk about footballers & teams won't be out of­ place there. Notice that I'm not even a ManU fan,­ but I just find you so embarassing it's painful to­ watch.

    From Yea-Joon, on Fri 22 May 1:25AM

  5. i have read some useless comments on this page..the­ game will be played on 27.05.09..we will know the­ result by then for sure. why dont we discuss about some­ useful things for the game.im united fan and i hope­ that we will enjoy the best final ever.

    From Mr invisible, on Fri 22 May 12:37AM

  6. barca-nr-1 talks out of his barc side the idiot he will­ dissapear of the pages when we thrash his pathetic team­ viva ronaldo glory glory man united

    From dazmanutdtrble1999, on Thu 21 May 8:03PM

  7. Everyone is entitled to their opinion but when you­ can't express it without swearing and being­ generally being juvenile, you lose all credibility and­ your opinion loses all weight.
    If you can't­ comment without acting like a chavvy 14 year old, then­ shout at a wall instead because that's all the­ worth you're owed. This goes to both sides of the­ arguement by the way.

    From Arte-673, on Thu 21 May 4:53PM
  8. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    We will see in may 27, because all you english sousages­ do is talk and talk. If manSHITster was so great, why­ don't they just play normal game, but they have to­ have 10 men defense. If english defense were so good,­ why did chelsea have 10 men defense agains Barca, and­ why did manSHItster have a 10 men defense against Barca­ last season, because they are bitchessssss, they are­ fuxking scared like a bitchhhhh. So fuxk off and quit­ talking you manSHITster putas

    From barca_nr_1, on Thu 21 May 4:40PM
  9. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    How do you compare the talent of Barcelona to­ manSHITster. Who is better Eto'o or Berbatov,­ Eto'o better. Henry or Rooney, Henry better.­ Iniesta or Teves, Iniesta better. Messi or Ronaldo,­ Messi way better. Xavi or Schole, Xavi billion times­ better. Toure or Carrick, Toure billion times better.­ Alves or O'shea, This is a joke, Alves trillion­ times better. Puyol or Rio, Puyol Better. Pique or­ Vidic, equal, maybe vibitch is a little better, but­ Pique is younger, and when he gets to Vibitch's­ age, Pique will be better. Abidal or Evra, Evra better.­ Valdes or Van der sar, I say Valdes because he is­ younger and could gain more experience, Van der sar is­ like 40 and suxks now. So for any of you fuxk heads­ manSHITster fans, don't compare the talent of Barca­ to manSHITster, because manSHITster does not come­ close. Barca will still destroy manSHITster even with a­ weak defense, without Milito, Marquez, Alves, Abidal,­ because we have our Trio Messi, Henry, Eto'o who­ will rip that manSHITster appart. Don't be­ suprised, those three have scored more goals that the­ whole manSHITster squad. Plus there is Iniesta, who­ could end the game at any time like he did to chelsea.­ So for you manSHITster fans go fuxk yourself, and come­ up with better excuses, because no matter what, Barca­ will destroy you, 4-1 for Barcelona. Visca Barcelona,­ Visca Catalunya, Mes Que Un Club!!!!!!!

    From barca_nr_1, on Thu 21 May 4:29PM

  10. misguided fool u make me laugh

    From funky, on Thu 21 May 4:08PM

  11. Bet I don't see you on these comments boards after­ next Weds either muppet, your comment was such garbage­ that it is now hidden due to low rating - and I­ didn't even give it the thumbs down!!!

    From XS, on Thu 21 May 4:08PM

  12. of course as a barca fan you're going to say those­ things! but some of em are downright ridiculous!! pique­ almost equal to vidic???????? mate, he was a reserve at­ united. not even a sub, a RESERVE, the boy is terrible,­ we were delighted when barca dished out for him! vidic­ is uniteds player of the season and a contender for­ world player of the year! and you cant even compare­ puyol to rio. puyol is @#$%!! most overrated player in­ the world! you may have a good attack but it's old­ (bar messi). your defence is terrible and rooney,­ tevez, berba and ronaldo would rip into your starting­ defence, imagine what they'll do to the weak one!­ vidic, rio, evra and big john will make shreds of your­ attack. spanish attacks are awful when they come up­ against teams who can defend (e.g. barca v chelsea,­ real v liverpool). our defence will dominate your­ attack and our attack will tear up your defence. we­ beat you last year and will do so again! UNITED!­ UNITED! UNITED!

    From joebourke2001, on Thu 21 May 4:08PM

  13. Comment 1 you are a mug. I bet you were one of those­ bellends that predicted that you would hammer us last­ year as well, and we all know how that ended!! Xavi a­ billion times better than Scholes?? Strange, because I­ thought it was Scholes that scored the 25 yard wonder­ goal that knocked you out. Correct me if I'm wrong,­ but didn't Zidane say Scholes was the best­ midfielder on the planet?? Something tells me ZZ knows­ a bit more about football than you (clearly a closet­ LiverPOO fan) Also, how many European cups has your­ little side won again? Less than us. Notice how you­ didn't mention Giggs in your little comparison list­ either, coz you know his pedigree dumps on whatever the­ Barca players can offer. Henry better than Rooney? Call­ the men in white jackets, I think you are a dillusional­ fantasist. United - champions of everywhere, because­ they have the best players. Barca - a good side but­ supported by know nothing muppets - like you!

    From XS, on Thu 21 May 4:07PM

  14. HOW COME MANU ARE UP TO PLAY BARCELONA, DON'T SEE­ THAT LIVERSUMBAGS UP THERE DO YOU? YOU WERE ALL MOUTH­ ABOUT THE PREMIER LEAGUE AS WELL, DIDN'T GET YOU­ ANYWHERE...WHY DON'T YOU DO YOURSELVES A FAVOUR AND­ SHUT THAT FAT LIVERSUM GOBS OF YOURS YOU MOUTHY B*S

    From L H, on Thu 21 May 4:00PM
  15. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    How do you compare the talent of Barcelona to­ manSHITster. Who is better Eto'o or Berbatov,­ Eto'o better. Henry or Rooney, Henry better.­ Iniesta or Teves, Iniesta better. Messi or Ronaldo,­ Messi way better. Xavi or Schole, Xavi billion times­ better. Toure or Carrick, Toure billion times better.­ Alves or O'shea, This is a joke, Alves trillion­ times better. Puyol or Rio, Puyol Better. Pique or­ Vidic, equal, maybe vibitch is a little better, but­ Pique is younger, and when he gets to Vibitch's­ age, Pique will be better. Abidal or Evra, Evra better.­ Valdes or Van der sar, I say Valdes because he is­ younger and could gain more experience, Van der sar is­ like 40 and suxks now. So for any of you fuxk heads­ manSHITster fans, don't compare the talent of Barca­ to manSHITster, because manSHITster does not come­ close. Barca will still destroy manSHITster even with a­ weak defense, without Milito, Marquez, Alves, Abidal,­ because we have our Trio Messi, Henry, Eto'o who­ will rip that manSHITster appart. Don't be­ suprised, those three have scored more goals that the­ whole manSHITster squad. Plus there is Iniesta, who­ could end the game at any time like he did to chelsea.­ So for you manSHITster fans go fuxk yourself, and come­ up with better excuses, because no matter what, Barca­ will destroy you, 4-1 for Barcelona. Visca Barcelona,­ Visca Catalunya, Mes Que Un Club!!!!!!!

    From barca_nr_1, on Thu 21 May 3:41PM
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