SOCCER/EUFA Champions League: Manchester United's hopes of finishing the Champions League's second phase with a flourish receded yesterday when they landed in Portugal without their captain, Roy Keane, and two most expensive players, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Juan Sebastian Veron.
While Keane misses tonight's tie with Boavista because of a hip injury, and Van Nistelrooy is in Holland for treatment on a groin problem, Veron is causing most concern. The Argentinian is to see a specialist about a foot injury that could rule him out for much of the season's finale.
"Seba went for a shot in the second half against Bayern Munich (six days ago) and the defender block-tackled it," said manager Alex Ferguson. "There may be a wee broken bone in there."
If the worst is confirmed, Veron's absence would be a major setback at a critical time. Yet Saturday's 5-3 win at West Ham added to the school of thought that United pose a more formidable threat with Paul Scholes in midfield rather than their £28.1 million record signing. Scholes will play tonight in a tie United must win to top the group above Bayern Munich.
Group winners cannot be pitted together in Friday's draw for the quarter-finals, meaning United would avoid Real Madrid.
"It's not cast in stone that it would benefit us, because Roma or Barcelona will be waiting for one of the group winners, as might Arsenal," said Ferguson.
"But the important thing is that it would guarantee missing Real."
Unusually, Ferguson named his team yesterday with Diego Forlan profiting from Van Nistelrooy's absence and Nicky Butt coming in for Keane.
Boavista coach Jaime Pacheco readily admits that he turned down the chance to go to the World Cup finals to stay and complete the Portuguese title holders' Champions League campaign.
Boavista conclude their first season in Europe's premier club competition with a creditable last 16 exit. And their coach could have continued to keep a high profile by accepting an offer to coach Nigeria in the World Cup.
But Pacheco turned down the opportunity, with one of the reasons being the lure of matches against teams such as 1999 Champions League winners United.
"I don't want to leave Portugal right now," he admitted. "But I've not lost any ambition. We want to finish with a victory. It would be a good way of ending our participation."
A win looks more attainable with United's trio absent.
"They are wonderful players," Pacheco added. "Van Nistelrooy is one of the best strikers in the world."
Defender Rui Oscar (knee) and midfielders Jose Bosingwa (muscle problem) and Luis Pedrosa (knee) have been ruled out for the hosts.
But Martelinho and Rui Lima are in contention after missing Boavista's 2-0 win over Santa Claraon on Saturday.
Manchester United must overcome their poor away form in the Champions League if they are to go through as group winners. United have won just two of their previous 14 matches on their travels in Europe stretching back over the last two years.
A 2-0 win over Olympiakos in Athens last October and a 2-0 success at Sturm Graz in December 2000 remain their only triumphs in this period.
United's task is all the harder in Oporto because Boavista have never lost a Champions League game in the Estadio Do Bessa.
Ferguson was yesterday awarded £7,500 libel damages in the high court over an allegation in David Mellor's column in the Evening Standard. Mellor had claimed Ferguson was paid £10,000 per match to give interviews to ITV.
UNITED'S AWAY-DAY WOES: Feb 20th, 2002: Nantes, drew 1-1; Nov 20th, 2001: Bayern Munich, drew 1-1; Oct 31, 2001: Lille, drew 1-1; Oct 10th, 2001: Olympiakos, won 2-0; Sept 25th, 2001: Deportivo La Coruna, lost 2-1; Apr 18th, 2001: Bayern Munich, lost 2-1; Mar 7th, 2001: Panathinaikos, drew 1-1; Feb 14th, 2001: Valencia, drew 0-0; Dec 6th, 2000: Sturm Graz, won 2-0; Oct 24th, 2000: Anderlecht, lost 2-1; Sept 26th, 2000: PSV Eindhoven, lost 3-1; Sept 19th, 2000: Dynamo Kiev, drew 0-0; Apr 4th, 2000: Real Madrid, drew 0-0; Mar 21st, 2000: Valencia, drew 0-0.
P 14; W 2; D 8; L 4 F 12 A 13.
BOAVISTA (probable, 4-1-3-2): Pereira; Frechaut, Turra, Pedro Emanuel, Jorge Silva; Petit; Sanchez, Martelinho, Lima; Ventura, Silva.
MANCHESTER UNITED (4-4-2): Barthez; G Neville, Johnsen, Blanc, Silvestre; Beckham, Butt, Scholes, Giggs; Forlan, Solksjaer.
Referee: K Plautz (Austria)
