Patrice Evra: 'It was hard leaving Manchester United'

Former Manchester United defender Patrice Evra has admitted that it was hard leaving the club after eight years, and that he was shocked by the change at Juventus.

Evra, 34, has won a league and cup double in his debut season for the Italian side and faces off against Barcelona in tonight's Champions League final.

"It was really difficult for me to leave Manchester United," Evra told Sky Sports. "It doesn't matter if you go somewhere and you're still winning, it's always the wrong decision to leave a club like Manchester United.

"It was a shock at the beginning because, to be fair, I did not expect the way Juventus Football Club were working. They work really hard.

"I think the training sessions are more difficult than the game. In pre-season I remember Massimiliano Allegri always asking me 'Pat, are you ok?' I'd never worked so hard in my life.

"It's a great experience because, even for my age now, I feel like I'm more powerful than when I was younger. I qualify myself like a bottle of wine, the more I get older, the more it tastes sweet!"

Tonight will be the Frenchman's fifth Champions League final, and his third against Barcelona.