Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United host FC Porto in the European Champions League on Tuesday in what is looking more and more like a defining moment of truth.
At 2-1 down from the first leg of their first knockout round clash, United, nine points behind Arsenal in the Premiership and without Roy Keane who was sent off in the first leg, badly need a Champions League triumph to boost confidence among the ranks.
The talents of Ferguson’s newly appointed assistant Walter Smith will help a side in the shadow of Arsenal, who are thriving in both domestic and European competition.
FC Porto, under the guidance of 2003 Uefa coach of the year Jose Mourinho, are, like Arsenal, unbeaten in their league this season but have lost all previous six trips to England, including a 4-0 defeat at Old Trafford in 1997.
United’s attempt at their eighth consecutive Champions League quarterfinal is hampered by defensive question marks. Ferguson did not buy during the winter transfer window to replace the suspended Rio Ferdinand, which could be seen as a mistake that might prove his undoing.
”We’ve been hit hard in defence through losing Ferdinand, coupled with other injuries and suspensions,” he said. ”You don’t want to be changing your back four all the time, but that’s what we’ve had to do.
”It hasn’t stopped us attacking. We are still capable of scoring and I’m sure we will score goals on Tuesday. We scored first in Portugal and we had chances for a second. That might have killed them off. Instead, they created three chances and scored from two of them.
”That shows Porto are a good team, but I don’t think they are great travellers. They will have a hard night if there’s a real electric atmosphere at Old Trafford.
”The important thing now is for the fans to make it a real European night on Tuesday and for us to make sure we get a lot of threats on goal.”
Chelsea are in a better position than United in their match with a 1-0 lead over VfB Stuttgart from the first leg.
Stuttgart coach Felix Magath may have described Fernando Meira’s own goal as one of those things and is optimistic about the Stamford Bridge tie, but his opposite number at Chelsea, Claudio Ranieri, believes his team can progress.
Ranieri, buoyed by second place in the Premiership above Manchester United, is believed to need at least one trophy this season to ensure his job after buying heavily with club owner Roman Abramovich’s money.
But a 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund on Saturday has installed new confidence in Stuttgart, last season’s German league runners-up.
”If we play like we did against Dortmund we could embarrass the English,” insisted Magath. ”It was vital for our confidence that we scored away from home again and we can travel to London on the back of these two goals.”
Goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand acknowledged the Germans were the underdogs but refused to rule out an upset.
”The win has given us confidence. Why can’t we get past Chelsea?” asked Hildebrand.
Croatian defender Zvonimir Soldo (36) hobbled out of the Dortmund triumph at half-time with a knee injury but Magath allayed fears his inspirational captain would miss the encounter.
”I think it’s almost 100% that Soldo will play,” commented Magath.
Lyon have a 1-0 lead going into their return leg, having beaten Real Sociedad in Spain for the Basque side’s first home loss in the competition for 28 years to boost Paul le Guen’s side.
Lyon midfielder Eric Carriere, however, is a doubt for the match with a knee injury.
Deportivo la Coruna go to Juventus on a high, having won their last seven Champions League matches and having beaten the Turin side 1-0 in the first leg.
But the Spanish side suffered a demoralising 3-0 league defeat against Valencia on Saturday and will be without left-back Romero for the tie although they could welcome back veteran Mauro Silva.
Juventus, runners-up in the competition last year, are without the injured David Trezeguet and Enzo Maresca. — Sapa-AFP