Source: Daily_Mail
Dimitar Berbatov out of Schalke clash
Dimitar Berbatov will miss Manchester United's Champions League semi-final against Schalke on Tuesday. The Bulgarian missed Saturday's Barclays Premier League win over Everton with a slight groin strain. [LNB]And whilst Sir Alex Ferguson claimed after the 1-0 triumph that he had no fitness concerns ahead of the first-leg encounter at the Veltins-Arena, Berbatov did not check in with the rest of his team-mates at Manchester Airport this morning.[LNB] Out of action: Berbatov will miss the Champions League clash against Schalke with a groin injury [LNB] Although the former Tottenham man had been unlikely to start anyway, his absence is a blow as it denies Ferguson a useful attacking weapon on the bench should the match not go as planned.[LNB] He does have the in-form Javier Hernandez, who bagged his 19th goal of the season at the weekend, and Wayne Rooney, who will not remember his last trip to Gelsenkirchen with any fondness as he was sent off during England's World Cup quarter-final defeat to Portugal in 2006. [LNB]Although one of their most famous nights came against German opposition in 1999, United have not beaten a Bundesliga side in a two-legged encounter since the European Cup was revamped into the Champions League in 1992. [LNB] In the stands: The Bulgarian striker was dropped for the game against Newcastle last week [LNB]Bayern Munich put paid to their hopes at the quarter-final stage last year and 1997 and 2002 brought semi-final despair at the hands of Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen respectively. [LNB]United are overwhelming favourites to book a blockbuster Wembley confrontation with either Real Madrid or Barcelona on May 28.[LNB] A shadow Schalke side lost on home soil to Kaiserslautern at the weekend to strengthen claims Sir Alex Ferguson's men will make it through with something to spare. [LNB] Heads, you win: Hernandez scored in United's late victory over Everton on Saturday [LNB]Defender John O'Shea refuses to be drawn into that kind of thinking, but the Irishman feels it is time United flexed their muscle. [LNB]'We have to make sure we show them our history, why we have got to finals, why we have won them, why we have been in this situation many times before,' he said. [LNB]'We have to impose ourselves whilst understanding the threats they have, which we will have to cope with.'[LNB] As United prepare for a seventh semi-final under Fergie we remember the previous sixRooney gives Fergie more worry over things said in Tweet of the moment Berbatov and Nani proving a fine reserve act for United in treble questManchester United FC news, features and opinion Explore more:People: Alex Ferguson, John O'Shea, Dimitar Berbatov, Wayne Rooney Places: Barcelona, Portugal, United Kingdom
