Rio's final fling as 'champions' Liverpool Kop it

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Ferdinand will captain United against Lyon at Old Trafford on Tuesday night if Ryan Giggs fails to shake off a calf injury. The last 16 knock-out tie is locked at 1-1 after the first leg in France two weeks ago when Carlos Tevez scored a valuable late equaliser.

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Last laugh: Rio Ferdinand knows it gets serious now for United

And the 29-year-old England star offered a stark assessment of his club's recent Champions League failings as he reflected on eight years without a final appearance.

Ferdinand said: "Winning the Champions League has to have bearing on whether you are considered a great side or not.

"Teams who are considered great have normally won the Champions League. But I don't think it is the be-all and end-all.

"Some sides who have won the Champions League in recent times are not considered great teams. But if you do well domestically, then go on and win the European Cup, it has to add to the fact that you are a good side.

"Before I came to United I watched them in Europe many times and expected them to go on and win the competition. And it has been the same way since I've been here. Last season we had a great opportunity to go on and at least be in the final but, for whatever reasons, that just didn't happen and we would really like to change that.

"We've got a great history domestically and in Europe but we'd like it to have been more fruitful in this competition."

The United and England central defender was not keen to expand on his comments and was certainly not going to name the teams he did not consider to be 'great'.

But it was not hard to work out because the clubs which have won since United's triumph in 1999 are AC Milan (twice), Real Madrid (twice), Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Liverpool and the Porto side coached by Mourinho before he joined Chelsea.

Asked if Liverpool's success in 2005, after extra-time and penalties against Milan, made him more determined to succeed, Ferdinand replied: "It doesn't matter who has been in the final. We've just got a desire to be in that final. It's the stuff of dreams.

"It has no bearing on our thoughts who has played in the final. Everyone who sets out in the Champions League wants to play in it. Liverpool have done well over the past few years getting to two finals. Good luck to them."