http://www.uefa.com/magazine/news/Kind=4/newsid=453477.html Rijkaard ready for repeat showing Friday, 8 September 2006 by Paul Saffer & Jim Agnew Frank Rijkaard will not need to be told that winning the European Champion Clubs' Cup two years in a row as a club - or a coach - is a daunting task. After all, no one has done it in the UEFA Champions League era, and before that it was last achieved in 1989 and 1990 by Arrigo Sacchi's AC Milan, with Rijkaard in midfield. In his stride Now FC Barcelona, under Rijkaard, are contemplating defending the European Cup, won in dramatic style in Paris against Arsenal FC in May. But Rijkaard is a man to take these things in his stride, as proved by the matter-of-fact way he explains the match-changing decision to deploy Henrik Larsson with Barcelona contemplating defeat at the Stade de France. "It wasn't that complicated," he told uefa.com. "We were 1-0 down and the change that we made was to put on more offensive pressure. In that perspective he did a great job as he had a hand in both the goals we scored." Rarefied company It may have been simple, but it was certainly effective. Rijkaard, who struck the only goal of the 1990 European Cup final against SL Benfica and was on the AFC Ajax side that defeated Milan five years late, is now in rarefied company. Only Miguel Munoz, Giovanni Trapattoni, Johan Cruyff and Rijkaard's old Milan team-mate Carlo Ancelotti have won the European Cup as a player and coach, and the Dutchman is the sole person to do the double in the UEFA Champions League era. 'Great moment' But was it a different feeling from the trio of playing victories to last season's achievement? "I don't know," he said. "It is a great feeling to win the Champions League as a player or as a coach. More than a feeling, the circumstances are different. Winning it as a player is different than as a coach. But the feeling remains a same. It is a great achievement, not of one person, not one player, not of one coach but of a club, a team, and everybody working with the team on a daily basis. It is a great moment of joy." Chelsea reunion Barcelona open their title defence at home to PFC Levski Sofia before a trip to Werder Bremen, beaten twice by Rijkaard's side in the 2005/06 group stage, but the real test of the opening round comes next - the double-header against Chelsea FC, who they have faced in two epic last- 16 matches in their recent campaigns, losing in 2004/05 but gaining revenge this spring on their way to the title. Rijkaard predicts more excitement. "It will be the same," he said. "The main factor is the two teams know each other well. We have to prepare well, but we know what kind of opponents they are. I stick with the idea that I hope it will be interesting again for the spectators and for football in general." Consistent approach Of course there are other obstacles before that and Rijkaard, like any good coach, is treating all opponents just as seriously as Jose Mourinho's men. "I am always trying to prepare the team for the match to come," the Dutchman explained. "And why? Because every game is important for a big team like Barcelona, and we have a lot of fans that expect something good of their team. So we always have to prepare, it doesn't matter which competition, which opposition, because it's a responsibility from ourselves towards the fans. You can't always achieve the best result but you have to try, you have to go for it." Positive thinking That last sentence is significant, as it sums up Rijkaard's evident coaching philosophy. And a possible prevalence of cautious tactics worries the attack-minded trainer. "You do have problems in general right now that defensive football is more or less rewarded," he said. "It's a pity because football is there to give a good show and to go for goals and believe in yourself. But people misunderstand, I can appreciate a good solid defence and a team that plays in that way. But we see too many teams playing in the same way, when they lose the ball they all go back. So I think that's not good publicity for football in general." Istanbul memories Unsurprisingly, therefore, Rijkaard picks a goal-strewn thriller as the European tie he would like most to watch again. "I have seen a lot of great games," he said. "But I live in the present, the past is the past. So the final that stays in my mind is not so long ago, it is the final between Milan and Liverpool [FC]. Because it was surprising and changed completely after the break. It was a spectacular game, so I'll stick with that one." -- ██████████████████ --

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