Manchester United should underestimate Schalke 04 at their own peril – UEFA Champions League
After gaining a crucial two goals to one win over http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Inter-c39567 Milan in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final, Schalke 04 have set up a semi-final clash with Manchester United in Europe’s elite cup competition. Manchester United is already
being touted as favourites to win the semi-final tie against the German underdogs. The Red Devils are now labelled as English representatives against the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid, for the final of the UEFA Champions League that is set to take place
at the Wembley stadium in London on 28th of May, 2011.
Manchester United, undoubtedly has been spectacular in the UEFA Champions League this season. Sir Alex Ferguson’s team has been impervious at their home stadium and have not conceded a single goal on their travels in the 2010-2011 Champions League. The three
time European champions have a versatile squad which has the right fix of youth and experience. Youngsters such as Javier Hernandez and Luis http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Ryan-Giggs-c31985 and
Edwin Van Der Sar are milking their experience for all it’s worth.
England’s favourites are now also the only remaining English side in the UEFA Champions League. United’s knocked out their rivals http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Chelsea-c38786 in the quarterfinals after gaining a 3-1 aggregate victory over the Blues. In the round of sixteen, Arsenal were knocked
out by Barcelona, whereas Tottenham was humiliated in the quarter-finals by Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid. Football pundits have already questioned Manchester United’s strength and capabilities this season. Several have even suggested that the Red Devils’ would
not be considered as great as previous Manchester United teams if they are unable to win against Real Madrid/Barcelona in the final at Wembley come the end of May.
But is it not premature to be talking about Wembley right now? Manchester United has proven over the past four years that they are now one of Europe’s elite. Ferguson’s team has become accustomed to the tactical contests that are abundantly seen in the UEFA
Champions League. The Scotsman has curbed his own offensive thinking to allow Manchester United to cope with the demands of European football, which unlike English football, is played at a slower tempo and pace.
However, Manchester United’s main worry at the moment should be their record against German teams in the knock-out stages of the UEFA Champions League. United won their second European Cup title in 1999 after defeating Bayern Munich in the final of the UEFA
Champions League, at Nou Camp in http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Spain-c3011. The English giants stole the cup from Lothar Matthäus’ Bayern after scoring two late injury time goals through Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Teddy Sheringham. Nonetheless before their monumental UEFA Champions League win
in 1999, Ferguson’s outfit faced off against Borussia Dortmund in the 1997 European Cup semi-finals.
Against Dortmund, Manchester United lost the first leg in Germany before displaying uncharacteristic wastefulness at Old Trafford to lose the second leg by a goal to nil as well. United’s 2-0 defeat to Borussia Dortmund was a particularly hurtful one for
the Red Devils as they had a squad which consisted of Eric Cantona back then. In 2002, Manchester United again faltered against Bayer Leverkusen. Leverkusen were underdogs heading into the tie against United just like Schalke 04 in the 2010-2011 UEFA Champions
League.
Nonetheless, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Michael-Ballack-c25270 led his employers to a two all draw at Old Trafford in the first leg, before Manchester United managed to draw in Germany against Bayer Leverkusen to go out on the away goals rule. Last season in the 2009-2010 UEFA Champions
League, Manchester United was drawn against Bayern Munich in the quarter-final of the competition. Having reached the finals of the 2008-2009 UEFA Champions league, the Red Devils were favourites once again to make it to the semis.
Regardless, Bayern Munich achieved an incisive 2-1 victory over Ferguson’s men at Allianz Arena in the first leg before losing 3-2 at Old Trafford to seal a place in the last four teams of the 2008-2009 UEFA Champions League with an away goals win over the
men in red. This time around it is Schalke 04 who stand between Manchester United and their fifth European Cup final. Will the German curse strike again for the English giants or will United finally break their German duck, and win against a German side in
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Germany-c2904 in the UEFA Champions League?
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