Ryan Giggs actually wanted to write the next chapter in his extraordinary life story at the European Championship.

But instead of coaching his native Wales there and possibly leading him to the next football fairy tale, the former star and record player from Manchester United has completely different problems: Giggs will have to answer a lawsuit for assault at the beginning of next year.

The 47-year-old is said to have attacked his former girlfriend and her sister.

He denies the allegations.

The allegations against Giggs, who celebrated two Champions League triumphs with the Red Devils between 1992 and 2013 and won the championship 13 times, caused a stir far beyond Wales. The topic overshadowed the preparations for the European Championship of a team that is only giving their country their second participation in the finals.

Instead of the football legend, Giggs' assistant Robert Page now looks after the team around star Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey.

For the internationally rather unknown coach and former national player, it is by far the greatest task of his coaching career to date.

"He's a friend, whether he's a coach or not," said Page on Friday when asked if he was in contact with Giggs.

“Of course I'm in contact with him.” The former U-21 coach does not see himself as a recipient of orders: “The responsibility on the sidelines lies with me,” said Page.

"The situation is what it is"

“Of course, the circumstances are difficult.

We can't hide from that, ”he had already explained earlier.

“But the situation we got into is what it is.

So we deal with it as well as possible. ”So far, things have worked out quite well on the pitch: Wales won four out of eight games under the 46-year-old and were only defeated by the top European favorites Belgium and France.

Giggs himself has been largely reluctant to make statements since the allegations became known.

In a statement he announced: “I will plead not guilty in court and wash my name clean.” In addition, the former offensive virtuoso, who was celebrated like a pop star at a young age, wished the team a lot of success for the European Championship - even without his experience.

Giggs is free on bail. He is not allowed to approach his former girlfriend or her sister. About a month and a half before the start of the tournament, the Welsh federation announced that Page was sitting on the bench at the European Championships. The fact that Wales is as strong as five years ago in France, when they failed 2-0 in the semi-finals under coach Chris Coleman against eventual champion Portugal and thus celebrated the greatest success in national team history, is last despite good performances against the teams at eye level unlikely.

The last win to date against a real top team was a long time ago.

Top performers such as Bale, Ramsey and Joe Allen also had to struggle with injuries in the past season.

Much will depend on your fitness level and your form in the physically demanding game of the Welsh people.

Bale himself warned against too high expectations.

It starts on Saturday (3 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the European Football Championship and on Magenta TV) in Baku against Switzerland.

Then the dragons, as the team is called based on their coat of arms, meet in Group A against Turkey and favorite Italy.

The games are also an opportunity for Page and the Welsh Federation to push the Giggs issue into the background, at least from a sporting point of view.