CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTER-FINAL SECOND LEG
Venue: Old Trafford Date: Wednesday, 9 April Kick-off: 1945 BST
Coverage: BBC Sport website & BBC Radio 5 Live
 Ferguson won the Champions League in 1999 |
Manager Sir Alex Ferguson is confident Manchester United will get past Roma to reach the Champions League semi-finals. United won the first leg 2-0 in Rome and Ferguson feels the fact Roma will have to attack on Wednesday will play into his side's hands. He said: "It is our best chance in a while to get to a semi-final. "The clock is against Roma. They have to do something, which may suit us because I think on the counter attack we are very good." United are well-placed to secure a semi-final against either Barcelona or Schalke 04 - with the Spaniards the favourites after a 1-0 first-leg win in Germany - and Ferguson is relishing the prospect. "Hopefully, we can produce performances that get us to the final," he said.  | I believe my players are capable of over-turning any score Roma coach Luciano Spalletti |
"If we get by this one, the difficult one of course will be Barcelona - a marvellous football club and a good football team," added the United boss. "If we get to the semi, we can start thinking about a final. We have to have that ambition and hope but the sensible approach is to wait until after the game tomorrow, see where we are and then start to dream hopefully." While Ferguson confirmed his intention to shuffle his line-up, he played down suggestions he might be tempted to rest Cristiano Ronaldo. "It is difficult to leave Ronaldo out, the form he has been in," Ferguson said. "He has been absolutely outstanding. | 606: DEBATE |
"There will be one or two changes tomorrow but changes we hope are sensible and give us the result we want." Roma coach Luciano Spalletti played down any rift with Ronaldo, despite midfielder David Pizarro accusing the Portuguese of showing a lack of respect through the tricks he used in the first leg. "Some of the things said in the aftermath of the defeat were perhaps conditioned by the fact that the defeat left something of a bitter after-taste in the sense that we were disappointed and sometimes you might say things that you wouldn't in other circumstances," said Spalletti. "As far as I am concerned, Ronaldo is an excellent player. It's something which he showed against us and he demonstrates what a great player he is through his game. "He's a very exuberant player, but also a very fair player and he is able to do certain things because of his great potential." And looking ahead to Wednesday's second leg, Spalletti said the memory of last year's 7-1 thrashing at Old Trafford would play no part. "Nothing is impossible," he said. "The 7-1 defeat here might tend to suggest there is a huge gap between the two teams but I don't believe there is. "I believe my players are capable of over-turning any score. Even though we have lost several matches to Manchester United, we want to be here and we want to play to qualify for the next round." |