Vida : Make it count

"Of course, you want to enjoy the experience and play your game but you’re very aware of what is at stake in a game like this. You just have to try and deal with the pressure."

- Nemanja Vidic

Nemanja Vidic says United are determined not to let the chance of making history slip away in Rome next Wednesday.

The Reds are just 90 minutes away from winning a fourth trophy of the season and becoming the first team to successfully retain the Champions League crown. An equally hungry and talented Barcelona side lie in wait at the Stadio Olimpico, but United's Player of the Year feels the experience of having triumphed last season will stand Sir Alex Ferguson's side in good stead.

"There’s always pressure on you when you play in a final. Of course, you want to enjoy the experience and play your game but you’re very aware of what is at stake in a game like this," Vidic told reporters at the pre-final media day.

"You just have to try and deal with the pressure. We won it last season and have picked up great experience from doing that.

"Getting to a Champions League final is not something that happens every year so we want to make the most of our chance and win the trophy."

With an array of attacking talent on display, it promises to be a busy night for both sets of defenders. Vidic is well aware of the threat posed by Barca's front men, but feels United's attackers will give Pep Guardiola's backline plenty to think about.

"Barcelona have some good players, especially up front, so it won’t be easy," admits Vidic. "They have played some good football and scored a lot of goals this season and we have great respect for them.

"But we must concentrate on ourselves and what we’re going to do. We’re not just going to go there and defend; we want to attack them as well.

"We have players that can cause defenders problems and score goals. When we’ve needed goals this season we’ve scored them.

"In some games we’ve been one or two goals down, but have still come back to win. That shows that when we need to score our attackers have produced."

Sir Bobby salutes 'brilliant' Vidic

“Nemanja Vidic has been such an influence. He is the envy of the whole league and he has been a brilliant, brilliant player for us.”

- Sir Bobby Charlton

Sir Bobby Charlton has described Nemanja Vidic as the 'envy' of the Barclays Premier League after the Serbian defender deservedly scooped two Player of the Year Awards on Sunday night.

Vidic played a huge part in the Reds' title success and Sir Bobby believes the 27-year-old defender is a worthy winner of the accolades usually reserved for attacking players.

"It’s normally the glamour players who get these prizes, but Nemanja deserves this,” Sir Bobby told ManUtd.com.

“He has been such an influence. He is the envy of the whole league and he has been a brilliant, brilliant player for us.”

Vidic has proved a solid presence at the back - helping United to notch up 34 clean sheets in the 52 games he has featured in so far this season - while his versatility and keen eye for goal has yielded six goals in all competitions.

Scorer of the first goal in January's 3-0 demolition of Chelsea, Vida also grabbed a crucial winner against Sunderland in December and netted what proved to be the deciding goal in November’s thrilling 4-3 home victory over Hull.

Sir Bobby is particularly impressed with the Serbian’s aerial ability, believing his heading prowess to be the trait that sets him apart from others.

"Nemanja is unbelievable in the air,” said Sir Bobby.

Nemanja Vidic, Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year


Vida poses with the Players' Player trophy and Sir Alex


Andy Cole gives Ronny his Goal of the Season gong


Reserve Player of the Year James Chester with Ole


Robbo gives Kiko his Academy Player of the Year award

Serb's silverware

"I'm honoured. It's amazing to get these awards. I'm very happy here at United."
- Nemanja Vidic

And the winners are...

Nemanja Vidic - Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year; Players' Player of the Year.
Cristiano Ronaldo - Goal of the Season, v FC Porto.
James Chester - Denzil Haroun Reserve Player of the Year
Federico Macheda - Jimmy Murphy Academy Player of the Year

Nemanja Vidic was named Player of the Year by United fans and his team-mates at the Reds' end-of-season awards night at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Just 24 hours after Sir Alex and his men were crowned Premier League champions for a third successive year and 18th time in total, the Reds were clearly still in partying mood. The whole squad turned out in style for the gala dinner, a star-studded event in Old Trafford's Manchester Suite.

Vidic collected the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year accolade, voted for by fans on ManUtd.com, and the Players' Player trophy to a well-deserved standing ovation.

"I am honoured," he said. "It is amazing to win these awards, especially when I consider the quality of the players I play alongside every day. I would like to say thank you to the fans and to my team-mates.

"I enjoy being here every day and playing with these players and working with the coaches. I'm very happy here at United."

The Reds' defence was key in the team's title success, the Club World Cup and Carling Cup triumphs, and in reaching the Champions League final, and Vidic has been the central pillar around which United's rock-solid rearguard has been built.

Vida wasn't the only winner on the night. Cristiano Ronaldo, who cleaned up with all three main awards at last year's event, claimed the Goal of the Season accolade for his stunning strike against FC Porto in the Champions League quarter-final second leg at Estadio do Dragao.

Elsewhere, James Chester picked up the Denzil Haroun Reserve Player of the Year gong. The 20-year-old defender, who was commanding as second-string skipper until being loaned out for a successful spell with Peterborough, picked the award voted for by fans ahead of Tom Cleverley and Corry Evans.

Federico Macheda was named Jimmy Murphy Academy Player of the Year, an award justified not just by his performances in United's Under-18s, but at all levels at the club this season.

The highly-rated Italian has scored goals for the Academy and Reserves, while his match-winning strike against Aston Villa on his first-team debut remains one of the season's defining moments. He was picked for the award ahead of last year's winner Danny Welbeck and Matty James.