MARK Hughes returns to the scene of one of his greatest triumphs tonight looking to take another step on a road he hopes will lead to another European final.

It was here in Rotterdam 15 years ago where Hughes the player famously fired Manchester United to an epic Cup Winners' Cup final victory over Barcelona.

Now Hughes the manager is hoping to guide Blackburn Rovers on a similar adventure in the UEFA Cup, and a draw against Feyenoord would bring that dream closer to reality.

Of all the games Hughes was involved in as a player during a long and distinguished career, the night he helped slay Barcelona at De Kuip' in 1991 is perhaps the one that cemented his place in United folklore.

Few pundits gave the Reds a chance as they headed for Holland to face the classy Spaniards, who, at the time, were managed by the legendary Dutchman Johan Cruyff, and boasted a cast of stellar performers.

However, Hughes, the striker Barca had rejected almost four years earlier, was to prove their nemesis, the pumped-up Welshman famously scoring twice as United won 2-1.

It was the night that defined Hughes' career, and even now, a decade and a half later, the Rovers boss looks back on that match as one of his proudest moments in football.

"You obviously remember cup finals because all the emotion is crammed into a few hours leading up to the game, and after the game itself," said Hughes.

"League titles are what you take most pride in but for emotional highs, cup finals are the better competition.

"It was a good night and obviously we were flying the flag for British football at that time.

"I think we were the first British side back in Europe after the Heysel ban, so we knew we had to make a good impression and give a good account of ourselves, but to actually win it in the first year back was special for us and important for British football."

Determined to prove Barcelona were wrong to let him go, Hughes put United ahead in the 68th minute when he got the final touch on a downward header from Steve Bruce.

Then the rampaging striker grabbed a magnificent second goal seven minutes later, blasting the ball home from a tight angle after he had beaten the keeper to Bryan Robson's clever pass, to secure United's first European trophy in 23 years.

Unsurprisingly, the English media hailed the victory as Hughes' revenge' in the papers the following morning, but the modest Rovers chief maintains it was never about settling an old score.

"They tried to play on the fact that I was looking for revenge but that wasn't really the case.

"I had a fantastic opportunity for a young player to go to a club like that and if I'm honest, I didn't take it.

"I didn't have any great issue with Barcelona, I thought it was a great club, a great city and nice people, so it wasn't about rubbing their noses in it.

"It was just one of those things that happen in football."

Now 15 years on, Hughes returns as a manager to the stadium the Dutch call the tub', hoping to guide Blackburn to a place in the knockout phase of the UEFA Cup.

After wins over Wisla Krakow and FC Basel, Rovers have maximum points from their opening two games in qualifying group E, so a draw against Feyenoord would be enough to see them advance to the last 32.

"It would be special to win here, but only in so much as it's important to the club that we get to the latter stages," said Hughes.

"If we can do that then we'll have made our mark this year, and that's something we said we wanted to do before the start of the season."

It's to Hughes' great credit that he still retains the same hunger for success he had in 1991 when leading the line for United.

In fact, if anything, he's even more determined to succeed than ever.

When asked how lifting the UEFA Cup as a manager would compare to unforgettable nights like the one he experienced against Barca, Hughes' response said much about his character.

"It would be even more satisfying," said the Rovers boss.

"As a player it's always nice and that can never be taken away from me or the club I was playing for at the time.

"But now I'm involved at so many other levels trying to get this club the success it deserves so, from a job satisfaction point of view, that would be more rewarding."