Giggs: This proves I was right to stay with United

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The Welshman will claim his second Champions League winner's medal if United beat Chelsea in Moscow tonight in the first all-English final in the competition's 53-year history.

The three previous finals have also featured English sides with Liverpool's appearances in 2005 and 2007 coming either side of Arsenal's.

Giggs has had opportunities to leave Old Trafford - he was strongly linked with a move to Inter Milan in 2002 - but victory over Avram Grant's side would be the ultimate vindication for the one-club man.

The 34 year old said: "What appearing in tonight's game proves is that I was right to remain at United throughout my career.

"When I first came through, Serie A was the place to be and the best players went there. Now, all the great players are playing in England."

The winger admitted that after United's last victory in the Champions League - a 2-1 win over Bayern Munich in Barcelona in 1999 - he anticipated far more success in Europe.

Giggs continued: "Winning the Champions League is the biggest achievement of my career along with my United debut, my Wales debut and captaining my country.

"But there would be a sense of injustice if I won only one European Cup. Since 1999, we have set our sights on winning it again and this is the big opportunity.

"When I was 26, I just assumed I would be involved in a few more finals again. But at 34, you know deep down that the chance is slipping away, so I have got to make the most of it."

Giggs is not certain to make the starting XI tonight for a match which he says is finely balanced.

"I expect it to be tight, because it always is against Chelsea," said Giggs. "But we are quietly confident, because I see similarities between this team and the one that beat Bayern.

"The team spirit is good, and there is a balance of youth and experience. The enthusiasm the young players have shown this season is great for the older ones like Paul Scholes and I."