Pique given his chance as Rio is ruled out

Ferdinand went for a scan on Monday after limping off at Middlesbrough and leaving the ground with his injured left foot in a protective casing.

Results allayed fears of any break, but the bruising is too severe for him to face the Italians and 21-year-old Spanish defender Gerard Pique is expected to step in.

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'Rio went for a scan on Monday and we can confirm that he has not suffered any break,' said a club statement.

The England captain has a good chance of recovering in time for the crucial Barclays Premier League match against Arsenal and Vidic, originally ruled out for three weeks with a knee injury, is making sufficient progress to be under consideration too.

Pique, who has been linked with a return to Spain in the summer, came on as a 69th-minute substitute for Ferdinand at Middlesbrough and helped title-chasing United claim a draw from the jaws of defeat. Now he is determined to help United secure a Champions League semi-final place and hopes it will be against his former club Barcelona.

Pique said: 'I'm ready. I've waited a long time to get a chance in games like this. It's what I dreamt of when I left Barcelona. It's been frustrating because the manager told me in the summer that I would figure in his plans but Rio and Vida have been playing so well that I haven't had a chance.

'We are more mature as a team this season. People said we struggled last year when Rio and Vida were injured and we were knocked out of the Champions League by Milan but I think we are stronger now.'

Pique is unlikely to be facing Roma talisman Francesco Totti, who has been left out of their squad once again with a thigh injury. Pique said: 'I am not afraid of anybody. Although Totti is not supposed to be in the squad, if he is fit to play I'm more than happy to face him. In fact, I look forward to it.

'Sir Alex Ferguson was fantastic with me after the match with Middlesbrough. He told me I had done well and made me feel good. It made me feel important again.

'The dressing room was quiet after the game. We were annoyed with the way it went but so many things happened in terms of losing a goal and then injuries after we'd made substitutions. We felt that we had come through a real test. You have to have a state of mind, whatever happens don't lose.

'Normally there'd be a lot of shouting but the manager was quite philosophical. He was happy overall with the way we played and we believe we can still win the title and the Champions League.'

Meanwhile, American billionaire George Soros is reportedly close to completing a takeover of Roma this week. Reports in Italy say he is anxious about closing the deal quickly in the face of competition from fellow American John Fisher, whose family are founders of the GAP clothing company.