Source: Manchester_EveningNews
The pluck of the Champions League draw
IKE the World Cup before it, a Champions League last 16 draw that threatened to omit some of football's biggest names, now looks as ominous as ever. Just as France, Germany, Portugal and Argentina toyed with the prospect of missing out on South Africa next summer, such luminaries as Barcelona, Real Madrid, Inter, AC Milan and Bayern Munich all made hard work out of reaching the knock-out stages of club football's premier competition. But it's not how you get there, it's the getting there that counts. And - crucially - they will all be part of next week's draw for the second round, posing significant threats to Sir Alex Ferguson's hopes of a third European Cup. By finishing top of Group B, United at least ensured they will avoid the likes of holders Barca along with Real. As such, the draw could prove as kind to them as the World Cup one was for Fabio Capello's England. An ideal scenario would pit the Reds against Olympiakos, Porto, Lyon or Stuttgart - which would be as good as anyone could expect at this stage of the competition. The worst case scenario would be Milan, who United have never got the better of over two legs in the European Cup. The Italians dumped a post Munich disaster United out of the competition in 1958 and ended Sir Matt Busby's side's reign as European champions in 1969. In recent history, Milan have proved a bogey team for Fergie. Response Goals from Hernan Crespo home and away put paid to United's hopes in the first knock-out round in 2005 and two years later they triumphed again in the semi-finals. United's response to that defeat has been emphatic, winning the competition the following year and reaching the final last season. But Ferguson has a very different side nowadays, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez both since departed. There are also major question marks hanging over the depth of quality he has in his squad and whether it can sustain a serious Champions League charge. One man who would love to end United's hopes is Jose Mourinho. The "Special One" burst onto the public consciousness by leading Porto to success against United in 2004, going on to win the competition before starting his trophy-laden legacy at Chelsea. He experienced the other side of the coin last season, when knocked out in the last 16 at Old Trafford. As such the Italian champions would not overly concern Ferguson, who also knocked Inter out in the quarter-finals on the way to the Treble in '99. That leaves an improving Bayern Munich as the only other major threat for the next stage - and their 4-1 win at Juventus to secure qualification was ample warning for whoever is drawn against them. But after making such light work of the group stages, Fergie insists his side should fear no-one. "It doesn't matter who we play at Old Trafford, we always feel we have a chance," he said. "And our away record over the last three years has been fantastic, so that helps us too. "I think we'll have to face a big team at some point, last year we had Inter Milan in the last 16 when they were top of Serie A. You take who you get and you have to trust the quality of your own players and the experience they've gathered." What do you think? Have your say.
