Manchester Utd (1) v AS Roma (2):Manchester United face a formidable task against Roma at Old Trafford tonight as they bid to reach the last four of the Champions League for the first time in five years.
Although Roma carry a narrow 2-1 first-leg lead into the game, they played superbly in their last away match in the competition when they won 2-0 at Olympique Lyon - and Alex Ferguson is treating them with the utmost respect.
Ferguson had earlier this season tipped Lyon as dark horses capable of winning the competition and knows United will have to be at their imperious best to keep alive their dreams of repeating their 1999 treble when they won the Champions League, English Premiership and FA Cup in the same season.
They memorably beat Bayern Munich in Barcelona to lift the European Cup eight years ago and the winners of this tie meet either Bayern or AC Milan in the last four.
Looking ahead to tonight's game, Ferguson said: "We have given ourselves the best advantage in that we have scored the away goal and if we win 1-0 we are through. But Roma's 2-0 win in Lyon was special. We have got to analyse that game. We know what they are capable of."
United will be without the suspended Paul Scholes, who was sent off in Rome last week and could be replaced by Darren Fletcher. Striker Louis Saha has suffered a recurrence of a hamstring injury and will not be considered.
In addition, midfielder Park Ji-sung is also ruled out for at least a fortnight after suffering a knee injury in the Premiership victory over Blackburn Rovers on March 31th. United also have three defenders out injured: Nemanja Vidic, Gary Neville and Mikael Silvestre.
However, United do have a formidable record at home in Europe, losing only once in their last 31 matches at Old Trafford - but they will also quickly need to put Saturday's 2-1 loss at Portsmouth in the Premiership out of their system.
After Lyon, Roma coach Luciano Spalletti believes his team can claim another high-profile victim.
"The best way to prepare for the match of your life is with a win. Roma is ready," said Spalletti after Saturday's 2-0 victory over Catania - their first away Serie A success of 2007.
"We'll be playing on one of the biggest pitches in Europe. United have designed it that way so they can play lots of one-on-ones. Because they have a lot of individual skill, they beat players easily.
"These are qualities that we also have, though, and I'm convinced it is going to be a great match."
Several of Roma's leading players, including captain Francesco Totti, Daniele De Rossi, Rodrigo Taddei, Alessandro Mancini, and Cristian Chivu, will come into the game fresh having been rested for all or most of Saturday's match. Spalletti will make a late decision on Totti's fitness as the striker arrived in Manchester struggling to overcome a hamstring strain.
Christian Wilhelmsson is expected to stand in for suspended midfielder Simone Perrotta. Perrotta's absence, however, is made up for by the return of Chilean international David Pizarro, whose vision has made him one of Roma's most influential players this season.
Security will be highly visible in and around the ground and the city with the police determined to ensure there will be no repeat of the violence that marred last week's first leg in Italy.
Yet Ferguson yesterday moved to reassure Roma's 3,800 travelling fans they should have no security concerns at Old Trafford.
After suffering ambushes from knife-wielding fans on their way to the game and then being attacked by riot police inside the Stadio Olimpico, there had been fears of reprisals.
"I do not anticipate any problems at all," he said. "The security at Old Trafford is fantastic. There has never been a history of trouble and the Roma fans should not fear a thing."
