Kirk Broadfoot: We have been surrounded by goodwill since returning home from Manchester but despite the praise and the pride, it is hard to escape the feeling that Zenit St Petersburg were there for the taking. As players, we might never get the chance to play in a European final again and there will always be a lingering sense of what might have been.
Sure, Zenit were the better team in the first half but it was a cruel blow to lose that first goal at a time when we genuinely started to believe the game was turning in our favour.
I think most of the stadium sensed it, too. Zenit deserve credit for being clinical. They took their chance and were able to sit back and pick us off.
They are one of the best teams we have faced in the competition but they were not unbeatable, despite the pre-match hype and the fact they battered Bayern Munich in the semi-final. We started nervously, which is understandable given that very few of us have experienced anything like this before, but we settled down.
The difference, as the manager pointed out afterwards, was Andrei Arshavin. He is the most elusive guy I have ever faced, and don't forget I have come up against Aiden McGeady a lot this season. I admit I was nervous for the first 10 to 15 minutes but I don't know many guys that wouldn't be against him.
I had watched the DVDs and prepared myself for facing him all week but he is just so sharp, so quick and seems to spring up all over the place. I think I did reasonably well, which seemed to be the general feeling looking at the morning papers. There will always be some who see it differently, but it is one thing I have learned to live with this season: some people will not give you any credit no matter how hard you try.
From personal experience, I can now understand why Real Madrid are being linked with this guy. It gives me confidence to know I stuck to my task against him. When you think about it, this guy is going to earn rave reviews in the European Championships in the summer and I expect him to make life difficult for better defenders than me. I stopped short of asking for his shirt. I wasn't giving mine to anybody: it will be framed and be a permanent reminder of how far I have come in a short period of time.
The UEFA Cup final has been another invaluable experience for me but you only realise the benefits of playing against the likes of Arshavin, Diego and Adrian Mutu when you go back in against that kind of quality and learn from your mistakes.
I admit my heart was in my mouth when Arshavin's cross hit my hand in the first half. There was nothing I could do about it, but some referees would not have taken that into account. I stretched out my leg to block the cross and if you can do that without raising your arm involuntarily then you have a special talent. Judging by some of the stuff I have read you would think I did it deliberately.
The memories of the occasion will live with me for ever. None of us could sleep on the afternoon of the game no matter how hard we tried. There was just too much excitement. The atmosphere inside the stadium was tremendous and it was heartening to see 2000 fans inside Ibrox to welcome us home. I know there was some trouble in Manchester before and after the game but it should not be forgotten that the vast majority of the 150,000 fans who went down to support us did so with the best of intentions. We will not allow the others to spoil the memories.
The dressing room was a quiet place after the game but the big personalities, like Barry, Ally and the manager, reminded us it was a fantastic achievement just to get here. We went out for dinner after the game, woke up at 8.30 and made our way back home for the homecoming at Ibrox, followed by training at Murray Park. It was not the most enjoyable session I have had and it will not surprise you to learn that sleep was the only thing I had in mind by the time I made it back home.
We now have to pick ourselves up and make sure we collect the two remaining trophies.
There has been a lot made about the fact we have four games in a week now but, to be honest, there is no better way of getting over the disappointment than knowing we simply don't have time to dwell on it. It has been an unforgettable week. I hope you have enjoyed sharing the adventure with me.
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