Only win will satisfy Rio

In the form of his life, a Premier League title bagged and a five-year contract to boot – you’d think things couldn’t get any better for Rio Ferdinand. But the Reds defender says his season will end on a sour note unless United beat Chelsea in Moscow.

That the 29-year-old has followed a number of players to commit their future to the club shows a strong bond in the Reds camp and a belief that further success lies ahead for this United side.

“I’ll tell you next week after the game how good a time this has been for me,” he says. “If we win the Champions League then I’ll say it’s a fantastic last couple of weeks for me personally. If not then the season will have ended on a disappointing note.”

In modern terms, the contract negotiations have been completed relatively smoothly. “It’s something that I’ve wanted desperately, to be able to stay here for the next five years is something I’m very happy about,” Rio added. “You see the surroundings I’m in every day training at Carrington, playing in front of 76,000 fans every other week; what more could you ask for?”

Rio will ask for one final push in the Champions League final on Wednesday to complete what has already been a sensational season.