'Remember we've all had a great season' Giggs seeks to rally United team-mates' deflated spirits.

RYAN Giggs has told his devastated Manchester United team-mates not to forget it has been a season to remember.

Instead of a victory parade around Manchester, United flew home to the inevitable inquest about what went wrong in Rome on Wednesday night after their 2-0 Champions League defeat to Barcelona.

To a man, the Red Devils have held up their hands to admit Barca were the better side at the Stadio Olimpico, with a clear edge in all areas.

It is not the way Giggs, this season's players' player of the year, intended to begin his summer holidays and presents a marked contrast to the jubilation they experienced 12 months ago after beating Chelsea in a penalty shoot-out.

But, while the veteran Welsh-manias crushed as anyone by the chronic failure to perform, he insists there are moments to cherish from the campaign as well.

"Great teams bounce back after big disappointments," he said.

"It has been a fantastic season and we must not forget that. We have achieved so much.

"All we have done is fall just short at the final hurdle in the Champions League.

"We are still a great team and we have great players in that dressing room.

"Next year we will come back stronger and look forward to the challenge."

And the challenge is not an in-significanone.

Whereas this season history beckoned in Europe with the ultimately doomed attempt to become the first team to retain the Champions League since its inception in 1992, next year it will be at home.

Having drawn level with Liverpool on 18 league titles this term, Giggs knows one more - which would be his 12th personally - would not only allow the Old Trafford outfit to overtake their north-west rivals, it would also see them become the first side in English football to win the championship four years in a row.

"To win three Premier League titles on the trot is an unbelievable thing to do," said Giggs.

"Now we must look to make it four."

Looking on the bright side, last night's defeat ensures United will not suffer the kind of fixture congestion that almost proved their undoing this term, with Barcelona now the ones committed to facing Shakhtar Donetsk in the European Super Cup and to represent Uefa at the Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi.

Ferguson's players however might spend a little more time reflecting on the past rather than pondering the future.

"You work so hard to get to a Champions League final," reflected Giggs.

"After winning it last year we wanted to win it again.

"I guess this result proves why it has not been done before."

CAPTION(S):

Ryan Giggs leaves the pitch next to Sir Alex Ferguson following Manchester United's Champions League final defeat