Source: Telegraph
Manchester United v Barcelona: Rio Ferdinand return would be timely boost
England defender Ferdinand has been sidelined for three weeks, missing four competitive matches, with a calf injury. A planned return at Hull on Sunday failed to materialise, although Ferdinand has trained with his team-mates at United's Carrington training ground in each of the past three days.
The former West Ham and Leeds centre-half has developed a formidable partnership with Serbia international Vidic, however, and although youngster Jonny Evans is on stand-by to deputise for Ferdinand, Vidic admits he is desperate for his regular partner to prove his fitness in time for Wednesday's final in Rome.
Vidic said: "Rio is the best partner I have ever had. He is a great player with great ability and we just understand each other and what we will both do.
"We can think the same way on the pitch, but I can't explain it. It's just happens with some players.
"I feel good when he plays and I enjoy it. I don't want to think that he will not play. He is an important player for us and I think he will make it."
Both United and Barcelona have displayed breathtaking attacking football on their way to this season's Champions League final.
And Vidic admits that United are just capable of taking the game to Barca as Pep Guardiola's team are likely to heap the pressure on United.
He said: "We are not a team that is just going to go there and defend. We want to attack.
"It is not going to be easy because they have good players, especially up front and, in the Spanish league, Barcelona have shown some good football and scored many goals.
"We respect them but we think more about us, how we are going to do and what we are going to do.
"The Champions League is the biggest competition you can play. It is the biggest teams from all of the leagues trying to win the competition.
"The Premier League is very strong, but the Champions League is a bigger trophy. If you play for Manchester United, you know you have to win the trophies and that's our aim against Barcelona."
Vidic admits that United are determined to become the first team to defend the European Cup since AC Milan in 1990.
He said: "Every football player dreams to be in a Champions League final and I remember everything that happened around the game last season - I still have good memories of the fans, my family coming to the game, the media build-up, everything.
"You feel the pressure, but you need to learn to deal with it. We have great players, players with experience.
"As soon as the season finished in Moscow, though, we started to think about this one and what would happen this year because we want to win it again.
"This is what this club is about. We try to focus on bringing success to the club and you do that by focusing only on the next game."
