WAYNE ROONEY will enjoy sweet dreams tonight.
The Manchester United star will imagine himself resplendent in his club’s change strip of all white, cracking in the winning goal in the Champions League final before lifting the famous trophy high above his head.
It is part of Rooney’s pre-match preparation, getting all those positive thoughts flowing through his mind.
There are no negatives for the England striker.
Confident Rooney admitted: “Since we won the Premier League, I have been thinking about the final every day.
“You think about scoring in it and winning it and that helps you prepare.
“Before every game I can picture myself scoring and doing good things in the game.
“I ask the kitman the day before a match what kit we are wearing, so I can think about myself in the proper strip.
“I can see myself picking up the trophy now!”
Millions of kids have similar dreams but the difference is Rooney can actually make his come true.
Despite all the fame and fortune, though, he is still very much a kid who just enjoys the game.
Rooney, 23, added: “I dream as much as I ever did.
“There’s a lot of money in football. But if I wasn’t playing for United I’m sure that I would be playing Sunday League with my mates, because I love football.
“I will watch whatever match is on TV and, if I’ve missed one, I will watch a recording.”
Rooney vividly recalls the excitement of beating Chelsea in a penalty shootout in Moscow last year and he wants to experience that moment again by putting Spanish giants Barcelona to the sword.
He declared: “We’ve had a lot of games this season and this is the biggest one of the lot.
“I’m really looking forward to it and, on the back of winning the league, we will be going in with a lot of confidence.
“It has been a very demanding season. It gets more difficult every year.
“Other teams are getting better and it’s harder to retain the Premier League and the Champions League as well.
“It’s really difficult and you have to be really fit. But I think the buzz from Moscow has helped us.
“When we won it there was a great celebration.
“We wanted to feel that again and we’ve realised now in Europe what the style of play is that you need to be successful.
“We knew we were in a good position in February. We were in every tournament and in good shape to win them all.
“It’s only the FA Cup where we got knocked out but it’s a good consolation to get to the Champions League final.
“The first two years I was at United we won next to nothing. Then in the last three years we’ve won three league titles, the Champions League and other competitions, so it has been brilliant.
“Barcelona are one of the most attractive teams in Europe. They are an exciting team and it will be a difficult game.
“But if we defend well and take our chances, hopefully, we can win it.
“In Lionel Messi, they have an amazing player.
“He’s so quick, his control is unbelievable and he scores goals as well.
“In my eyes, he is one of the best.”
The worry is the old red mist will come over Rooney if Barca get ahead and United are chasing the game.
But Rooney is unconcerned by such fears.
Married life with wife Coleen, apparently, has tamed him ever so slightly.
He insisted: “I’ve matured a lot as a person, on and off the pitch, which has definitely helped my game.
“I’m playing with the older players, who have a lot of experience, and they’ve really helped me blend in.
“It is an emotional game and sometimes you are not happy with decisions or your performance and you get emotional.
“You know you can’t do it and I think I’m getting better at that.
“I’m enjoying my life on and off the field.
“I’m quite a relaxed and shy person off the pitch and I’m really happy at the minute.
“We are 90 minutes away from winning the Champions League and having one of the greatest seasons in Manchester United’s history.
“I’m a privileged person. I’ve come to play for the biggest club in the game, I’m doing what I love and I wouldn’t swap it for anything else in the world.”
source : thesun.co.uk
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