FCBARCELONA.CAT

27.04.2008 11:10

Henry: “We’ve shown that we can”

Sandra Sarmiento

Henry already knows what it’s like to play in Old Trafford having done so in both an Arsenal and Monaco shirt. With the French team, Henry managed to get through the eliminatory against Manchester in the English stadium.

This Tuesday Thierry Henry will play in England again after leaving Arsenal last summer. No-one better than him to talk about this return leg of the Champions League semi-finals, to be played in Old Trafford and which will decide who goes through to the final in Moscow.

What memories do you have of the tie between Mónaco and Manchester United in the ‘97/’98 season?

Very good ones. I remember we played the first game at home and with the goalless draw the people said we were out. But we demonstrated that you can score a goal at Old Trafford and with a one all draw we went through. It was incredible for the club. Monaco is not one of the giants of Europe and to go to the semi-final was incredible and also scoring a goal. It can be done.

What was this game like?

We didn’t suffer. We scored on the quarter hour mark and then nothing, Solskjaer drew and very little more.

Was it a different Manchester United to that of today?

Different, yes, but it was Manchester United. That year they won the Premier. Now we can say that they have more players from outside England. But before they had Giggs, Scholes, Beckham, Sheringham. In the end they also won a Champions League in the Camp Nou.

The first leg between Monacoand Man U. ended 0-0 and the people took it for granted that the French would not go through. After Wednesday’s draw, the sensations are different. They are saying it is possible.

Yes. On that occasion it was another game that we didn’t play well. A team that people said: What are Monaco doing here!

We have now shown that giving our all we play well, that we can do it. It won’t be easy because they haven’t lost any games there but there is always a first time and I hope that it is against Barça.

On Tuesday they will create more spaces, therefore we won’t see the same United.

That’s true. We might have more space but they will also create more danger. Here they didn’t play their game, because we played well and we expect something different there.

Did Manchester United surprise with their game on Wednesday?

No, because on occasions Manchester wanted to play but couldn’t. It’s not easy to come here and play better than us. They wanted to but couldn’t.