- Title: ITALY: MANCHESTER UNITED TRAIN FOR MILAN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FOOTBALL
- Date: 7th March 2004
- Summary: MILAN, ITALY (MARCH 07, 2005) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. WIDE MANCHESTER UNITED TRAINING 2. VARIOUS OF PLAYERS ON WARM UP EXERCISES 3. STRIKER WAYNE ROONEY (GINGER HAIR) 4. RUUD VAN NISTERLROOY (TALL, DARK HAIR) 5. VARIOUS OF PRACTICE 2. JOURNALISTS AT NEWS CONFERENCE 3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANCHESTER
- Embargoed: 22nd March 2004 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: MILAN, ITALY
- Country: Italy
- Reuters ID: LVA4VN0OIDHNFTWZCVMHGBQHSU2U
- Story Text: Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson says Tuesday's
Champions League tie with AC Milan is the toughest challenge
his team has faced yet.
United trail 1-0 from the first-leg at Old Trafford
after a late Hernan Crespo strike gave the Italian
champions the edge in the fight for a place in the
quarter-finals.
It serves to remind everyone, including Milan, that is
possible for us to do this, said Manchester United Coach
Alex Ferguson at a news conference on Monday (March 07).
"That's the great thing about the team. I think theres
good character in the team. We know that the difficult task
there is and so does AC Milan, they know its difficult too
for us. But, at the stage I am at, I have to trust my
players because I have done it so many times. Its not the
easiest task Ive ever had, its probably the hardest-- its
the hardest but its not an impossible task. And, in
football you know, goals change games and we have to get
the goal that changes this game tomorrow," Ferguson said.
United have enjoyed some success against Italian teams in the
Champ
ions League in recent years and Ferguson said
that the victory over Juventus in 1999, when his team came
back from 3-1 down on aggregate to beat the team then
coached by current Milan boss Carlo Ancelotti, was an
example of what his players were capable of.
"I have to be honest with you, I think that Champions
League has always been my biggest challenge. I have only
won it twice and gone so close so many times that I feel in
particular we need to win it more than weve done so I am
afraid I think the European football is my biggest
challenge," added the Scotsman who will be without regular
right-back Gary Neville after the England international was
ruled out with an ankle injury.
Ferguson said that despite the face United have to
score to have any chance of progressing in the competition
it would be vital to keep things tight at the back.
Ferguson repeated his view that his current side is the
better than the one that went on to win the European Cup in
1999, highlighting the presence in his side of youngsters
Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo as well as Dutch striker
Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Van Nistelrooy made his return from an injury lay-off
in the first-leg, played in Saturdays goalless draw with
Crystal Palace and could feature from the start at the San
Siro.
"Well, I think I am in better shape as I was then, but
if that means I am going to score two again tomorrow .then
I dont know, you never know. I feel good, I am physically
at my best and hopefully I can show it tomorrow as well on
the football side," the Dutchman said.
Van Nistelrooy was unable to find the target at Palace
but Ferguson is hopeful that it will be a different story
against the Italians.
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