Nemanja Vidic is a favourite with the fans because of his fighting mentality and bravery. He’ll stick his head, leg or body in the way of anything if it means United will benefit, and he’s paid the price for this with bruises, cuts, and even being knocked unconscious.

In an interview with the United magazine, Vidic talks about his summer, his desire to win more trophies and that night in Moscow!

The new season is nearly upon us but, first of all, did winning two trophies last season improve your summer break?
Yes, I had a very good holiday. I had the satisfaction of winning the Premier League and the Champions League, so that helped me relax. But to be honest, that’s all finished now and we have a new season to concentrate on. At the moment spirits are high and the pressure hasn’t begun yet, but we’re all aware that at United the aim is always to win trophies, even if you have won them the season before.

How many times have you watched the Moscow penalty shoot-out?
Not many, actually. I’ve watched it once since that night and it struck me that it was a very good game for a final. In the first half we played particularly well. I do remember the penalty shoot-out, but to be honest, when John Terry walked up I felt nothing. I was numb, in a state of disbelief.

You didn’t have to take a penalty-kick that night…
No, but Rio was next and then it would have been me. I’m glad Edwin saved the penalty – obviously because we won the Champions League, but also because there’s such pressure on players who are taking penalties in that situation. I would hate to come away from that game with a bad memory. Instead, I have very special recollections. When I retire, I might think about what happened in Moscow a little more, but I hope I have even more good memories and trophies to recall. I’m not satisfied yet – I want to win more medals. All the players at United feel that way.

Was winning the Champions League the best moment of your career?
It was certainly part of the best season I’ve ever had. To know you’re the best team in England and the best team in Europe is a great feeling. For me, though, I’d say the Premier League trophy is the better one to win. You play 38 games over the season against some very strong sides and you have to be so consistent to win it.

Is there a feeling that last season was the start of something special?
I hope that’s the case. We have a good mix of young players and some older heads to provide experience. I hope we can go on to win these trophies again but sometimes, as we saw in Moscow, small margins separate winners and losers. Little things can decide big games, so I can only hope that those tiny margins go in our favour. I definitely believe that this squad can win more trophies. We have great team spirit and the players are hungry for more success.

Every season the boss talks to the players and sets out the challenge ahead. Has he done that yet?
He hasn’t specifically addressed us, but the players know exactly what needs to be done. We want to win the Premier League, the FA Cup, the League Cup and the European Cup – everything that’s possible. We’ve worked hard during pre-season to make sure we’re ready to give it our best shot.

Taken from United Review.




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