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Form no bearing on final result, Rio claims

21/05/2008

Rio Ferdinand has claimed the form of his Manchester United team and tonight's opponents Chelsea will have no bearing on the Champions League final.

The England centre-back has been an integral part of United's march to the domestic league title, a campaign which concluded with a professional 2-0 victory at Wigan Athletic ten days ago.

Chelsea stuttered across the line in the league, drawing 1-1 at home to struggling Bolton Wanderers on the final day and go into tonight's match as slight underdogs.

But Ferdinand claimed none of this will matter given the one-off nature of the contest.

"It's not about form, it's not about who is the better side," he said.

"It's about who performs on the day. Fingers crossed that's us."

The 29-year-old, who is expected to captain United in Moscow, also dismissed talk that the club's auspicious history - with two European Cup wins to their name compared to Chelsea's none – acts as "an inspiration more than a pressure".

"The pressure comes from within, from your own personal pride in wanting to do well," he continued.

"The history of Old Trafford, the characteristics of the club from the past and the manager all work as an inspiration.

"You want to become part of the furniture and to be remembered in the history of Manchester United.

"To do that we have to win big things, and now we have a great chance to do that and become part of history."