Liverpool midfielder, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Roberto-c31294 Di Matteo since the Italian scored in the final of the FA Cup against his former club Middlesbrough.
Di Matteo netted the first goal for the Blues in the final at Wembley to help them secure a 2-0 win against the Boro. The English International was a member of the club’s youth squad at the time of the defeat and wants revenge over the Italian, by winning
the FA Cup this season with http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Liverpool-c39809.
The Reds will square off against http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Chelsea-c38786 on the 5th of May at the new Wembley stadium in the cup final.
While talking to reporters, Downing unravelled his hatred for Di Matteo after the 1997 final and mentioned that he was gutted after the game.
He remarked, “I've hated him ever since! We had got tickets off the club, who took us and our families down on the coach. It was a good day out but with bad memories of the final. What did I call him at the time? Nothing I could really repeat.”
The midfielder arrived at Anfield in July last year from Aston Villa, for an estimated fee of about 20 million pounds. However, since then he has failed to make a mark at the Merseyside club and is yet to score his first goal for the Reds.
Nevertheless, the English International remained unfazed at the face of criticism meted out at him, and indicated that it only spurs him on.
“Others might take [criticism] hard, but it doesn't bother me,” he added.
He pointed out that sometimes the new players find it difficult to attune themselves to the requirements of their new club, and that there were other players in the squad as well who have struggled to perform in the entire season.
“You're expected to come in and set the world alight but sometimes it doesn't happen. You have seen players at other big clubs take time to settle but then become big players.”
The midfielder admitted that he has been guilty of inconsistency since his move to Anfield, but vowed to meet the expectations of his manager in the next season.
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