Chelsea won Euro title so why can’t we, says Rooney
MANCHESTER United striker Wayne Rooney believes attaining a second Champions League winners medal is not beyond his troubled side this season and has cited Chelsea’s 2012 triumph as their inspiration.
United resume their European campaign at Greek champions Olympiacos for the first leg of their last-16 tie tonight, having suffered embarrassing exits in both domestic cups and dropped points with alarmingly regularity since breezing through the Champions League group stage in December.
David Moyes’ men look likely to miss out on Champions League qualification as they trail fourth-placed Liverpool by 11 points, yet there is a precedent for English teams to win Europe’s elite club competition despite floundering in the Premier League.
Liverpool were crowned European champions in 2005 after finishing fifth, and Rooney believes his side can stage a repeat of Chelsea’s triumph two years ago when they stumbled to sixth in the table.
“The year Chelsea won it they nearly went out of the competition about three times,” said Rooney, who last week signed a new five and a half year contract with United worth around £300,000 per week.
“One [winners medal] is never enough, especially at this club. You have to keep trying to get into the final when you are at this club.
“You always want to win it. That’s the main aim, win trophies, that’s what you will be judged on when you finish your career. That’s not just me, that’s the whole team.
“We’ve been excellent in the Champions League this year and hopefully we can take that into the game and that will help us get the result.”
United will be without defenders Jonny Evans and Phil Jones, struggling with calf and hip injuries respectively, while record signing Juan Mata is cup-tied having already featured in the competition this season for Chelsea.
But Moyes hopes strike partners Rooney and Robin van Persie, who scored in the same match on Saturday for the first time since November, can provide the required quality to progress.
“Both Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie are back into really good shape and they are scoring goals – and in the big games,” said Moyes. “We can do far better when they are with us.
“I’m looking forward to a really tough game against Olympiacos. We have to play well to qualify. They came through a difficult group and are tough at home.
“I see this as an opportunity to try and win the competition, but we first have to get through this tie. It will be a difficult one.”