Ryan Giggs: Could Superinjunction Scandal Impact Champions League Final Hope?

Ryan Giggs has proved over the years that in the face of pressure, age and the big stage he can come through all with consummate ease, and even come out the other side stronger.

However, with the Champions League final less than a week away, Giggs, for the first time, faces all of these burdens at the time.

Giggs missed Manchester United’s open training session this morning and despite Sir Alex Ferguson’s attempts to extenuate the situation in his press conference, Giggs’ story has cast a shadow over the final and will no doubt be the focus of the majority of the buildup to the game at Wembley on Saturday.

Giggs is said to have confessed his sins to his wife, Stacey, at home a couple of weeks ago. However, the exposure of Giggs as the obtainer of a super-injunction has unleashed a media backlash that is bound to affect both Giggs’ personal state as well as playing on the mind of his manager ahead of the climax to their season against Barcelona in just five days' time.

Ferguson’s ability to deal with previous off=field controversies, such as with Wayne Rooney, suggests that the situation as a whole may have been overblown in terms of Giggs’ place in Ferguson’s team for the final.

No doubt visiting Spanish fans will be aware of the situation and will surely try and play upon Giggs with chants and heckles; however, the fact that it isn’t an all-English final will nullify much of the verbal abuse and atmospheric chants that potentially could have been exploited.

Giggs‘ exposal to the front pages as well as the back pages is nothing new in a world where the line between sports stars and celebrities becomes increasingly blurred. Many Premier League stars such as Ashley Cole and John Terry have faced similar revelations in the press and have come back as though nothing of note occurred.

Come Saturday, expect Ryan Giggs to join 10 others donning United shirts as they take to the field for the starting whistle and despite attempts to deter him from visiting fans, expect the Welshman’s drive and footballing ability to dictate his performance—not public distractions.