Fergie ready for his date with destiny

Only once since his career-defining Champions League triumph in 1999 has United's manager come near repeating the feat. Three years later his team lost a semi-final to Bayer Leverkusen that they should have won.

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Ferguson was so disappointed that he vowed privately to continue in office until he made amends. Now, at the Stadio Olimpico tonight and at Old Trafford next Tuesday, the greatest British manager of his generation can take a giant step towards his goal.

Victory in this quarter-final would put the Champions League crown within United's grasp. It is not that easy, of course, but for the first time in several years it would be possible.

Such is United's form that a semi-final against AC Milan or Bayern Munich would not present a significantly more difficult task than the one that begins before 70,000 fans here tonight. Nor, for that matter, would a final against Liverpool, Chelsea or Valencia.

It is logic that Ferguson was happy to agree with on arriving in Rome yesterday. He said: "Oh yes, this is a hard game for us. They won't come any harder. If we win this then it will give us great confidence and I think we can win it.

"This is a good young squad but there are always tests . . . and this is one. They have to seize this opportunity because, in this game, tomorrow may never come.

"The Juventus team we beat in 1999 were a tremendous side and we will need to produce that level of performance again on Italian soil. But we have the forwards who can do that, that's the important thing."

United will never come to Italy again without being reminded of the night against Juventus in 1999 when Roy Keane hauled United back from 2-0 down to clinch a place in the final against Bayern Munich.

Tonight is sure to be a rather more cagey affair but with injuries to three of his firstchoice back four disrupting his preparations, Ferguson will place an emphasis on not conceding goals.

Gary Neville, Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra are all unavailable but Ferguson said: "The big test recently has come when we have not had our best 11 players.

"The players who have replaced them are our most important players now. We have proved without question over the last two months that this squad can do the business.

"The Italians have developed defensive techniques better than anyone over the last 40 years, so this is a challenge for us. But we have faced these a few times. We just have to play to our potential and I'm going to trust this form, because it has been terrific."

United's visits to Italy have been rare in recent times but the defeat by AC Milan at the first knockout stage two seasons ago remains fresh in the memory.

United were outclassed and even embarrassed by the Italians, and back then another Champions League success seemed fanciful.

Two years on and Ferguson will reflect that he has a better chance without the likes of Roy Carroll and Quinton Fortune in his team. He said: "Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo were young boys when we faced Milan, but they are maturing all the time now. The whole team are more experienced and that's so important.

"We're a better team than we were in 2005. There's no question about that. We have a much better shape, confidence is flowing through the team. They're better prepared."

One thing Ferguson would perhaps have asked for is a different referee. German official Herbert Fandel not only oversaw United's defeat in Milan two years ago but also sent off Roy Keane in a defeat against Jose Mourinho's Porto a year earlier.

Ferguson was furious that night but sounded a more pragmatic note yesterday. He said: "We've had him three times. We need a strong referee and hopefully he will be strong for this one."