Shevchenko seeks repeat performance
Friday, 02 April 2004

By Jim Wirth

Three goals to the good after the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final against RC Deportivo La Coruña, the reigning European champions AC Milan already have one foot in the semi-finals. And the man who scored the decisive penalty at Old Trafford last May is itching for more glory.

Winning penalty
Ukrainian Andriy Shevchenko stroked in the winning spot-kick in last season's final shoot-out to give Milan victory against Juventus FC following a goalless 120 minutes in Manchester. Having rediscovered his goalscoring touch in recent games after a slow start in European competition this season, the predatory striker is ready to fight for honours again.

Team objective
"As a team, Milan are constantly striving to prove that we are the strongest," said Shevchenko. "We're thinking about winning every game. This is the objective of the group, of the team. Thoughts about reaching the final might only be dreams, though, because we know we're playing in a difficult competition."

Hard road
Deportivo will struggle to recover from the 4-1 first-leg defeat, but Shevchenko is still not anticipating an easy route to the final. "Last year we won it - so we know how difficult it is to win the Champions League," he said. "We know the strengths of our opponents, and we're preparing for every game with this in mind."

Final dream
Winning last season's final was an incredible achievement for Shevchenko. "It was something fantastic, something that changed my life," he said. "You dream of it as a child, then one day that dream becomes a reality. It was a truly fantastic night. But another thing I remember is that I've never been so tired - mentally and physically - as I was in the final; never in my life. I really gave everything I could."

Decisive kick
However, his decisive contribution was to come right at the end of the game as he beat Gianluigi Buffon from the spot to bring the trophy to Milan. "I knew that goal could change our destiny," he said, remembering lining up that penalty. "I tried to concentrate 100 per cent. Before I struck that penalty my only concern was about not changing my mind, and I succeeded."

Victory blur
From that moment on, many of Shevchenko's memories are a blur. He struggles to remember the celebrations, saying: "Afterwards? I don't remember. It was an incredible joy, a happiness, an emotion that it was impossible to control." And it was a happiness that was to be felt far away from Old Trafford.

Important journey
Ukraine supporters have followed Shevchenko's progress since he left FC Dynamo Kyiv, and it was as a tribute to his roots at that club that the striker returned to Dynamo's home stadium to bring the Champions League trophy to the monument erected to the memory of his former coach, Valeriy Lobnanovskiy.

Proud pupil
"It was also a dream of mine to win something with Dynamo," said Shevchenko. "We reached the semi-final with a great coach, the great father of Ukrainian football, but sadly he is dead. Yes, I'm talking about Lobanovskiy. Everyone knew it was a big dream of his to win this competition. I'm happy that I, as one of his pupils, managed to win it."

More glory
However, the first Ukrainian ever to win the Champions League is not resting on his laurels. "I'm an optimist, I'm always thinking about the future," said the 27-year-old. "I know my career is destined to finish in a few years. So I'm thinking about doing the best I can, about winning the most I can."