Manchester United FC coach Sir Alex Ferguson isn’t too concerned about making it to the semifinal round of the UEFA Cup Championships in spite of the 2-1 result in last weeks match against AS Roma at Stadio Olimpico. On Tuesday the Reds get a rematch with AS Roma in their first ever visit to Old Trafford.
Oddsmakers like the Reds chances against AS Roma too installing the club a favorite with a -160 money line chalk. AS Roma gets +450 juice and a draw would pay +235. The odds are based on US Dollars.
“We do recover and recover well,” Ferguson said referring to last week’s loss at AS Roma. “This club has always been that way. We lost to Arsenal in October and went on a long run, and the same happened when we lost to West Ham and Arsenal again. This club is made like that. Losing a game is not an unusual factor in football. Everyone loses at some point. It’s what you do about it that makes a team, and I’m confident about that side of things.”
“Although United have attempted failed fightbacks five times in the last eleven seasons in the competition, the manager sounded undaunted by the challenge of bettering Serie A's second-best side. "Can you compare Roma with the great Juventus teams that came here, or AC Milan of two years ago, or Real Madrid? They have all been here and it certainly won't be any more tense than those games."
Roma coach Luciano Spalletti echoed his counterpart's words, saying: "We showed in the first game that we are a very good team, sound in defense, and we have to do the same again tomorrow. It would be risky to try a different approach against such a good attacking side as United. We will play as we know how to play."
AS Roma will have midfielder David Pizarro back from a ban, yet has lost Simone Perotta for the same reason. Spalletti’s main concern is fitness of leading scorer Francesco Totti, who missed Saturday’s 2-0 victory at Calcio Catania with a sciatica problem, although he did train unhindered on the eve of the game.
The probable lineup for United is Edwin van der Sar; John O'Shea, Rio Ferdinand, Wes Brown, Gabriel Heinze; Cristiano Ronaldo, Michael Carrick, Darren Fletcher, Ryan Giggs; Wayne Rooney, Ole Gunnar Solskjær.
For AS Roma , Doni; Marco Cassetti, Cristian Chivu, Philippe Mexes, Christian Panucci; Daniele De Rossi, David Pizarro; Christian Wilhelmsson, Taddei, Mancini; Francesco Totti.
