GREECE: FOOTBALL/SOCCER: Manchester United confident of victory in Athens says David Moyes ahead of Champions League match with Greek champions Olympiakos

Record ID: 336563

  • Title: GREECE: FOOTBALL/SOCCER: Manchester United confident of victory in Athens says David Moyes ahead of Champions League match with Greek champions Olympiakos
  • Date: 24th February 2014
  • Summary: PIRAEUS, GREECE (FEBRUARY 24 2014) (REUTERS) ***CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER DAVID MOYES AND STRIKER WAYNE ROONEY SEATED FOR NEWS CONFERENCE MORE OF MANCHESTER'S MOYES AND ROONEY AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER DAVID MOYES SAYING: "I am looking forward to the game. I've been fortunate, I 've watched
  • Embargoed: 11th March 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Greece
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA10B5GT1WQJPYXNM4WA3FNKA0B
  • Story Text: Manchester United will do its utmost to secure a victory over Olympiakos and target the European crown, manager David Moyes told a news conference in Athens on Monday (February 24) ahead of Tuesday's Champions League match with the Greek champions.
    "I am looking forward to the game. I've been fortunate, I've watched Arsenal - Bayern Munich, I watched other games on television the other night and I really enjoyed the Champions League games," Moyes told journalists at the pre-match news conference. "I think to get through the group was first and foremost for us really important. To win the group was an added edge to it but now you are into the knockout stages you are in a real cup competition and I am looking forward to it. It is a really tough game, Olympiakos have a great record here and we know over the tie we are going to have to play well to qualify."
    Manchester United traveled to Greece with the Champions League their only chance of winning a trophy this season, although that chance is a long shot at best.
    United are languishing in sixth place in the Premier League.
    "I see it as an opportunity to try and win a competition, we are in a competition and we have to try and get as far as we possibly can and win it if possible, but the first thing we have to do is get through the tie, this two-legged tie, and it will be a difficult game for us but one that I think that we are all looking forward to," said Moyes.
    On the plus side, Wayne Rooney pledged his long term tenure to United last week before scoring a superb goal in Saturday's (February 22) victory against Crystal Palace.
    United have struggled since David Moyes took over as manager in the close season and tying Rooney to a new contract came as a relief to the club.
    Moyes says his Anglo-Dutch double act of Rooney and Van Persie was key to the Reds' Champions League progress.
    "They are both vital to a lot of things that we do. They are both excellent players, you know our record with them is far better than the record without them that's for sure and I think both of them had an injury,- you know Robin (van Persie) certainly much longer than Wayne (Rooney) - and I think both got themselves back into really good shape and you know both are goal scorers and scoring goals which is great for us. That's why they are top players, they score in the big games and they make the big moments," Moyes said.
    Striker Wayne Rooney, asked about Manchester United's faltering performance in the Premier League this season, said all of the team had to take responsibility.
    "Of course as a group of players we have to take responsibility for the league position we are in. We know we are better than that and we haven't performed as well as we know we can do, so. We know that and as a team it hurts when you know you can do better and we haven't so it's important that we finish the season strong and you know we take that momentum into next year but more importantly we finish the season strong and we try to get into that fourth spot and then we try to do well in the Champions League. I think it's important to us all," Rooney said.
    Pressure however is building on Moyes and his tenure at the club as manager after the successful career of Alex Ferguson.
    Olympiakos Piraeus, who have reached this stage of the competition for the first time in four years, will have to make a piece of history if they are to overcome United after losing their four previous meetings.
    There is scope for optimism, for Michel's team are in imperious form, unbeaten in 26 league matches and holders of a 20-point lead at the top of the Super League.
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