Source: Eurosport
Ferguson backs English clubs to excel in Europe
MANCHESTER, England (AFP) - Sir Alex Ferguson, the manager of Manchester United, is adamant that English clubs will continue to dominate the latter stages of the Champions League this season.[LNB]England's Premier League has supplied a finalist in each of the last five seasons - with United losing to Barcelona in European club football's show-piece match in Rome in May - and three of the four semi-finalists for the past three.[LNB]But there have been suggestions the standard of English football is on the decline while Spanish giants Real Madrid have been spending lavishly on players in a bid to make sure they reach the Champions League final due to be played at their own Bernabeu Stadium next May.[LNB]Liverpool, United's bitter English rivals, are struggling in their first round Champions League group but Ferguson said talk of the Premier League's top teams being on the slide was premature.[LNB]"The English teams will be involved in the semi-finals again," he said.[LNB]"They have been very dominant in the tournament for the last six or seven years. That is shown by the evidence of the latter stages and I think it will be the same this year."[LNB]Ferguson added: "Obviously Barcelona are one of the favourites. You cannot dismiss them.[LNB]"But there is no question in my mind that the English teams will compete for the trophy."[LNB]United will secure their place in the last 16 with two games to spare if they beat CSKA Moscow at Old Trafford later Tuesday.[LNB]Chelsea are equally well positioned after their opening three games, while Arsenal are also on course to reach the knockout stages.[LNB]By ontrast, Inter Milan and Bayern Munich are currently outside the automatic qualification spots, while AC Milan and Real Madrid have already lost matches in a group they were expected to dominate.
