Rochemback senses second chance

A year on from the disappointment of defeat in the UEFA Cup final with Sporting Clube de Portugal, Fábio Rochemback has a second opportunity to get his hands on the trophy as he and his Middlesbrough FC team-mates prepare to take on Sevilla FC in Eindhoven.

Sporting disappointment
The Brazilian midfielder played 13 times in the 2004/05 competition, helping Sporting set up a final meeting with PFC CSKA Moskva. With the game being held at the club's home ground, Lisbon's Estádio José Alvalade, the stage seemed set for Sporting to triumph, but the Russian side had not read the script and came from a goal down to run out 3-1 winners. Twelve months on, Rochemback still feels the pain of that defeat keenly.

Steady improvement
"I don't want to feel like I did last year again," the 24-year-old told uefa.com. "I'm going to use that experience. Last year was sad but this time I hope to get my hands on the trophy. I feel very calm and relaxed and just want the game to come as soon as possible. The UEFA Cup campaign has been a positive experience for us, we've been improving round by round and raising our performance levels and now we have to do that again in the final and win it."

'Amazing atmosphere'
Those improved performances have brought dramatic victories against FC Basel 1893 and FC Steaua Bucuresti in the last two rounds, with Middlesbrough mounting second-leg comebacks in both ties. "Those matches were fantastic to play in, and they gave me and the team much more strength to get through," Rochemback said. "Those games were amazing, but I hope the final is more straightforward for us than that. It will be much more cautious - both sides will be anxious to avoid mistakes and it will be very tight, not 4-3!"

High tempo
Rochemback is well-placed to assess Sevilla's strengths having spent two seasons in Spain with FC Barcelona and believes that the finalists are so well matched that an error could ultimately prove decisive. "I've played against Sevilla before, they're a good team and deserve to be in the final but we're capable of beating them. Each game demands something different - in Eindhoven, we must play at a high tempo and keep the ball but the key will be avoiding making mistakes."

Culture shock
Rochemback believes his first campaign in England has been beneficial but admits there is still room for improvement. "This season has been largely positive for me, although I want to finish it off with the UEFA Cup trophy. It's a different way of playing over here, I found it difficult at first but I've got used to it now and I expect next season to be better for me. I've settled in well since Christmas and I've started to show my abilities. English football is a beautiful way of playing but it's really very fast and you have to think very quickly.

'Set up for success'
"I knew Middlesbrough as we played them in the UEFA Cup last year and I knew that the structure of the club was very good so that's why I chose to come here," he added of his decision to move last summer. "Barcelona and Sporting are both big clubs but we've reached the final of the UEFA Cup and we're becoming a big club in European terms. I like a challenge and I'm happy here; this club is set up to be successful." Rochemback will be out to help the club take the next step in that journey at the PSV Stadion.