A new breed of hero

A true colossus 
The Madrid captain is, indeed, a colossus. The unfortunate thing for Bayer 04 Leverkusen is that the arena he will choose to bestride tonight is Hampden Park, scene of the UEFA Champions League final.

Hierro takes aim 
The 34-year-old Spanish international might qualify for veteran status, but there are as yet no signs of faltering purpose in Hierro. Later this week he will head to Korea/Japan for his third FIFA World Cup finals. First though, "the aim is to go to Glasgow and win the Champions League".

Thanking the fans 
Hierro said: "If you ask Bayer which team is going to win, they will say that they are. That is the mentality we took to Amsterdam and Paris [where Madrid won the Champions League in 1998 and 2000]. It is important to be able to give something to the supporters."

The winning years 
Hierro knows all about that. Thirteen summers have passed since Hierro's transfer to the Santiago Bernabéu from Real Valladolid, and in that time he has claimed eight major honours for Madrid and their fans. Now he wants to lift the European Champion Clubs' Cup trophy for a third time in four seasons, in this Madrid's centenary year.

Madrid's only thought 
"We have achieved the objectives we set out with in September - to be competing for honours until the very end," he said. "Our only thought is to win. And to win the final would be great for the club, the players and the fans."

'No certainties' 
Madrid's domestic campaign ended last weekend with the Merengues second in both league and cup. So Hierro is aware that "there are no certainties". Still, Leverkusen of all teams should beware a wounded animal when they see one.

Big day out 
"The whole team will give their all to win the trophy," Hierro said. "It is a very important day for everyone and we want to make sure the fans enjoy it. In a final, the winner is the team that plays better during the 90 minutes. Once the game begins, you forget all about injuries or missing players."

Hierro drops back
One familiar face missing from the Madrid party in Glasgow is Manuel Sanchís, the club's former captain who retired last year. It was under Sanchís's watchful gaze that Hierro turned from goalscoring midfield player - he remains the Spanish national side's record scorer - to defensive linchpin.

Back where they belong 
Sanchís's father was another redoubtable centre-half belonging to another of the Merengues' European champion teams. The decades merge for Hierro too, today, when Madrid return to the Glasgow setting of their fifth success in the competition - the 1960 thrashing of Eintracht Frankfurt.

A new chapter 
Seven-three scorelines are the stuff of folklore. The good news for Madrid fans is that Fernando Hierro is ready to add a fresh chapter to the success story. "It is difficult to imagine another final like the one in 1960," he said. "In modern football you don't really get ten-goal matches. The important thing is to play well. We are really looking forward to it."