Ferdinand out of Porto clash

Published: 06 Apr 2009 - 15:02:45

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Rio Ferdinand will miss Manchester United's UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg clash with Porto at Old Trafford on Tuesday with a groin injury. The 30-year-old watched from the stands on Sunday as United beat Aston Villa 3-2 to go back to the top of the league but the defender has not recovered in time to be considered to face the Portuguese league leaders. The former Leeds ace has had problems in the past with his back, an injury which kept him out of the England side that beat Slovakia 4-0 in a friendly last week. Ferdinand returned for his country's World Cup qualifying win over Ukraine days later but was withdrawn three minutes before the end. It is believed the centre-back picked up the groin problem there and then but Sir Alex Ferguson is hopeful he will be fit for the weekend trip to Sunderland. The Scot also explained that all the players who missed Sunday's win through injury were unlikely to feature against Porto although Nemanja Vidic, Paul Scholes and Wayne Rooney are all available again after suspension.