BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Cardiff City | Loovens loving his FA Cup chance

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Interview: Glenn Loovens FA CUP FINAL
Venue: Wembley Stadium Date: Saturday, 17 May Kick-off: 1500 BST
Coverage: LIVE on BBC One, BBC Sport website, BBC Radio Five Live, BBC Radio Solent, BBC Radio Wales, Score on BBCi, plus highlights on Match of the Day.

Glenn Loovens insists inspiring Cardiff City to FA Cup glory will mean more to him than his Uefa Cup winners medal.

The Dutch defender was part of the Feyenoord squad that beat Borussia Dortmund to conquer Europe in 2002.

Cardiff face Portsmouth in Saturday's Wembley showpiece as Loovens dreams of playing in the Uefa Cup again as FA Cup success is a route into Europe.

Loovens said: "I have been more involved in Cardiff's FA Cup run so a win on Saturday will mean more to me."

The 24-year-old centre-back would love a return to the big stage of Europe to test himself against world football's greatest teams.

But Loovens maintains Cardiff lifting the FA Cup for the first time in 81 years is more of an incentive to the Championship side than gracing Europe.

"The big thing is winning the FA Cup, entry into the Uefa Cup would just be a bonus," said Loovens, who left Feyenoord for Cardiff in the summer of 2005.

"European football would be great but that is not in the forefront of our minds because the FA Cup is such a wonderful competition."

The FA have confirmed that Cardiff, despite being under the jurisdiction of the Football Association of Wales, will be recommended to represent England if the win the FA Cup.

"Initially there was talk that we wouldn't be put forward to represent the English league because we're Welsh," said Loovens.

"But eventually The FA made the correct decision as every FA Cup winner has gone on to play in Europe and it would have been totally unfair if were denied the same opportunity as everyone else."

The Bluebirds haven't played in Europe since their Cup Winners Cup defeat to Standard Liege in the 1993-94 season.

Cardiff boast many European highlights as they reached the Cup Winners Cup semi-final in 1968 as then Welsh Cup winners were beaten by Hamburg.

One of the Bluebirds' most famous triumphs was in the Cup Winners Cup when a Brian Clark goal beat the mighty Real Madrid 1-0 at Ninian Park in 1970-71. Real, though, eventually won the quarter-final 2-1 on aggregate.

Loovens, who has been an integral part of the Bluebirds back-line that has conceded just twice on their run to the Cup final, has European tradition.

"Playing in Europe is one of a career highlight for any player," said Loovens.

"It's a different level again and a great experience as you get to test yourself against some of the best players in the world.

"My Uefa Cup adventure with Feyenoord took me to some wonderful stadiums to play some famous teams.

"We played Inter Milan, Glasgow Rangers and PSV Eindhoven on road to the final and as a result of winning the Uefa Cup we were rewarded with a Super Cup game against Real Madrid, the Champions League winners."

Inspired by Jon Dahl Tomasson and Robin van Persie, Feyenoord beat Dortmund 3-2 in the 2002 Uefa Cup final at their home stadium in Rotterdam.

Loovens, though, had to suffer the agony of missing the final due to injury.

"Missing the big day hurt," said Loovens

"So that's why I say winning the FA Cup with Cardiff would mean more to me as I've been more involved."