GO AND PARTY LIKE IT’S 1999
Giggs says United have the players to rise to Juve’s level – just like his team did in that famous semi-final 19 years ago
RYAN GIGGS says Manchester United stars must learn to close the gap on Juventus, just like his generation did.
United legend Giggs will be watching with interest tonight when Jose Mourinho’s men visit Turin.
They were outclassed last month in a 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford by the Group H leaders, who were runners-up in the Champions League in 2017 and who have won 13 of their 14 matches this season.
But Giggs, who won 34 trophies with United, admits Sir Alex Ferguson’s side once had the same problem.
They lost to Juventus in 1996 and 1997 when they faced the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Alen Boksic, Didier Deschamps and Alessandro Del Piero. But they went on to beat the Italians in an unforgettable semi-final in 1999 en-route to the Treble and also again in 2003 when Giggs scored twice in Italy.
Giggs, now boss of Wales, said: “United were second best the other week. Juventus were fantastic and United didn’t turn up. But United have the players and I think it will be closer in Turin.
“It is about realising you have to get to that level. How do you do that? You have to perform week in and week out, training every day and realising what it takes to be the best club in Europe.
“We faced the likes of Zidane, Boksic, Edgar Davids, Del Piero but we had players who were capable of doing it too – and they did.”
United head to Italy after successive Premier League victories, over Everton and Bournemouth. They trailed 1-0 at half-time against Eddie Howe’s men and Giggs admits it is a concern that Mourinho’s side only seem to be turning it on in the second half of matches.
He added: “I have been really impressed with United in the last four or five games, especially second half. Bournemouth on Saturday were brilliant in the first half but United were brilliant in the second half.
“It’s just putting that 90 minutes together. I don’t know why that is – as a United fan you are scratching your head. They have proven they can give anyone a game.
“But if you don’t turn up against Juventus, or play for 45 minutes, you will not win. You have to turn up for 90 minutes.” Giggs has fond memories of battling Juve – including a 3-0 away triumph in the second group stage in 2003 when his brace helped put United into the quarter-finals. His strikes for Fergie (below) included a superb run from just inside the Italians’ half before a low right-foot finish which drew comparisons with his famous 1999 FA Cup semi-final solo strike against Arsenal. “I remember it for a number of reasons.,” said Giggs “I was going through a tough spell at United. I’d missed an open goal against Arsenal and the Juve game was a few weeks after. I was sub because I was rested as we had the League Cup final on the following Sunday. “But I came on, scored two – including a right-footed one, so I remember it for that as well. It was a bit of a mini Arsenal goal.
“Maybe it was even better than the Arsenal goal because it was against Gianluigi Buffon. Good memories. They were titanic games against Juventus. They were brilliant ties.”