Miracle man has a name and a number - Ronaldo, No 9. Not for the first time in the last two seasons, Inter Milan will look to the world's most famous footballer when they take the field in their Champions League quarter-final, second-leg tie against Manchester United.

Inter will hope that the Brazilian striker's pace and finishing power can help them overcome the two-goal deficit by which they trail United following the first leg. Inter have an obligation to be optimistic, but all the evidence of the football played by both Inter and Ronaldo in recent times suggests that the Milan side are heading for a "last stand". Furthermore, their chances are on a par with General Custer at Little Big Horn.

Inter Milan come into this game on an eight-match league and cup run which has seen them lose six and draw two. As for Ronaldo, he has played just 70 competitive minutes in the last two months.

Inter coach Mircea Lucescu, insists that Ronaldo is nothing less than his side's talisman, stubbornly insisting for most of the last three months that "Inter are a different side with Ronaldo". When Ronaldo is fit and ready and on his game, Lucescu has a point. However, the current Ronaldo is not only far from fit, but he comes into tomorrow night's game after a disastrous season in which he has played in only 18 of Inter's 43 league and cup games and during which he has never looked either fit or fully recovered from his traumatic World Cup final day experience at France '98.

Indeed, it is arguable that Inter run the same risk in fielding Ronaldo tomorrow night as that taken by Brazil when putting him back into the team just one hour before the World Cup final against France. It is certainly possible that if Brazil had stuck with their original selection for the final - naming Fiorentina's Edmundo rather than Ronaldo - then they would have won the trophy. Likewise, Ronaldo's inclusion could backfire on Inter tomorrow night. If Inter have any small hope of eliminating United, that hope lies in their ability to get off to a fast and furious start, playing the sort of soccer they played in the final half hour at Old Trafford.

If Ronaldo plays, Inter's start may well be not so much fast and furious as fraught and frustrated. Inter's best option against United could be a front line of winger Francesco Moriero, plus Chilean Ivan Zamorano and Nicola Ventola, the latter in place of Ronaldo. Footballing realpolitik not to mention a thousand commercial considerations, however, dictate that Ronaldo will start.

One thing seems clear: whatever options Inter have in attack, they seem unable to do anything about their chronic defensive shortcomings, so evident once again in their 2-2 derby draw.

Even Ronaldo conceded as much yesterday, saying: "Given the way things have gone recently for us . . . we have to expect to concede a goal. If that happens, we mustn't give up, but get stuck in and score lots of goals.

"I think it will be a high-scoring game. I just hope that we are the one who do the scoring."