Champions League preview: Bursaspor v Manchester United
“Now I can say I'm one of the top players in the world.”
Okay. So Nani thinks he is one of the best in the world, but what has he done to make him think this?
He scored a controversial goal in the 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on the weekend. Does that make him a top player?
The incident went something like this. He dived for a penalty, handled the ball, asked the referee whether he could kick the ball into the net - which he did - and then ran off celebrating the goal. Is that enough to be classed as a top player?
In his eyes yes, but for those of us who have our feet on the ground, maybe not.
Coming back down to earth, and Manchester United have a tricky away tie to Turkish champions Bursaspor to contend with tonight, and if something like Nani’s controversial goal happened at the Bursa Atatürk Stadium, the Turkish fans would let the referee know exactly how they would be feeling.
Both sides are experiencing very different Champions League campaigns so far. United have a lot of experience in this competition, while Bursaspor are making their debut this season. Based on the way the games have gone for both sides, you can tell who is the more experienced at this level.
Bursaspor have lost all three of their group games and have failed to score a goal. United on the other hand are top of the group with two wins out of three and are yet to concede a goal. Turkey has been a good place for Sir Alex Ferguson’s men. The last time they were here, they beat Beşiktaş 1-0 last year, and it was their second win to go along with the two draws and one defeat they have had, as well as their fourth clean sheet.
Bursaspor were thumped 4-0 by Valencia in their first home game, and will want to do better tonight than they did on that night. They didn’t put up much of a fight at Old Trafford against United, but they should play much better with the backing of their own fans.
Bursaspor manager Ertuğrul Sağlam is targeting a win to make history. “We believe we can get a result that will be written into the history books with golden letters,” he said. “Obviously, the English side are a very hard team to beat, world giants let's say, but last season we achieved something which nobody believed in [winning the league]. We must view the game like this and aim to get a good victory.”
On paper, it should be a United win, but Michael Carrick is not taking the game for granted. “The Champions League is not easier than it used to be,” he said. “In terms of the stature and history of the clubs, it might not be as good, but the games are still tough, especially away from home.
“People might point to our away record, which is very good, but all those matches have been hard.
“Travelling to Turkey, for instance, presents you with a long journey and a different type of atmosphere. You are encountering players that you don't see every week. It brings a different challenge to Barcelona, Inter Milan and Real Madrid. It is something you have to face if you want to continue in the competition,” Carrick added.
Turkey is one of the most hostile places in Europe to travel to, but United should have enough to get the win.
Prediction: Bursaspor 1 Manchester United 2
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