SIR Alex Ferguson believes the strife so many of Europe’s big clubs have endured in the Champions League this season proves Manchester United’s achievement in reaching consecutive finals has been badly underestimated.
While the Red Devils have already qualified for the knockout phase and are hoping to confirm their status as Group B winners by beating Besiktas at Old Trafford tonight, a clutch of their biggest rivals are by no means certain to get through.
Liverpool and Bayern Munich may have captured most of the attention, but Barcelona have also struggled and AC Milan and Real Madrid have hardly confirmed themselves among the tournament favourites with their performances in a group also containing Marseille and FC Zurich.
Their results are the ones Ferguson is alluding to when he outlines his case for United to be lauded.
“There are one or two more difficult groups than we anticipated,” he said. “The one with Rubin Kazan, Barcelona, Dynamo Kiev and Inter Milan is a real group of death.
“Madrid and Milan are in the same group and they are finding it difficult. Bayern Munich are struggling. It shows how tough it is to retain the cup as we nearly did and maybe our achievement has been underestimated because you see how difficult the others are finding it.”
Ferguson is aiming to make it three finals on the trot this year, which would be no mean feat given the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo for Real Madrid.
One way he has managed to achieve such continuity has been by introducing a steady stream of youngsters to his squad. That process will continue tonight when Danny Welbeck, Gabriel Obertan and Federico Macheda will get their chance, along with Darron Gibson.
Didier Drogba, Michael Ballack and Deco were yesterday included in the Chelsea squad for tonight’s Champions League game against Porto.
The trio missed Saturday’s 4-0 thrashing of Wolves through injury but could return at the Estadio do Dragao. Ricardo Carvalho is set to feature against his former side after being rested at the weekend.
Frank Lampard and Jose Bosingwa remain sidelined.