Joined
·
11,868 Posts
Gary Neville is confident that Manchester United can become the first club to defend the UEFA Champions League.
Neville missed virtually all of last season as he recovered from a serious ankle injury, and watched from the sidelines as United beat Chelsea on penalties in Moscow to be crowned the best side in Europe.
Wes Brown enjoyed a splendid campaign in Neville's absence, although the veteran defender is now back to fitness and made his first competitive start in 17 months as United won the Community Shield on Sunday.
Neville, now 33, accepts that he will not have too many more opportunities to play in a Champions League final, but feels United could rewrite history this season.
"I've always enjoyed challenges and as I've been out for so long I'm really excited," he said.
"I don't have a great deal of time left in my career. I'll just enjoy what I have left as much as I possibly can.
Enthusiasm
"More than ever I have the enthusiasm and incentive to do well because I've been out for so long.
"Last season it was difficult looking on from the sidelines in one sense, but there was nothing I could do about it.
"It was a great season for the club and even if you're not playing it was still a great season for the club.
"Retaining the Champions League as it is now has never been done and what a challenge that is for us.
"As a club we've never won the European Cup two years on the trot so we must step up to the plate if we want to achieve that."
Long way to go
Neville was pleased to come through the Community Shield unscathed but admits that he still has a lot of work to do before he can consider himself fully fit
He explained: "It felt good to get through 65 minutes. I wanted to play 90 but the manager knew what happened to me during pre-season in Nigeria when I tired a little and picked up a knock.
"This is just the beginning for me - I don't feel a great sense of achievement.
"I was missing a bit of sharpness on the ball and need to get up and down a bit more. I've got a long way to go and I'm aware of that."
Neville missed virtually all of last season as he recovered from a serious ankle injury, and watched from the sidelines as United beat Chelsea on penalties in Moscow to be crowned the best side in Europe.
Wes Brown enjoyed a splendid campaign in Neville's absence, although the veteran defender is now back to fitness and made his first competitive start in 17 months as United won the Community Shield on Sunday.
Neville, now 33, accepts that he will not have too many more opportunities to play in a Champions League final, but feels United could rewrite history this season.
"I've always enjoyed challenges and as I've been out for so long I'm really excited," he said.
"I don't have a great deal of time left in my career. I'll just enjoy what I have left as much as I possibly can.
Enthusiasm
"More than ever I have the enthusiasm and incentive to do well because I've been out for so long.
"Last season it was difficult looking on from the sidelines in one sense, but there was nothing I could do about it.
"It was a great season for the club and even if you're not playing it was still a great season for the club.
"Retaining the Champions League as it is now has never been done and what a challenge that is for us.
"As a club we've never won the European Cup two years on the trot so we must step up to the plate if we want to achieve that."
Long way to go
Neville was pleased to come through the Community Shield unscathed but admits that he still has a lot of work to do before he can consider himself fully fit
He explained: "It felt good to get through 65 minutes. I wanted to play 90 but the manager knew what happened to me during pre-season in Nigeria when I tired a little and picked up a knock.
"This is just the beginning for me - I don't feel a great sense of achievement.
"I was missing a bit of sharpness on the ball and need to get up and down a bit more. I've got a long way to go and I'm aware of that."
