Becks wants a Red reunion
David Beckham hopes to play against his former club in the Champions League when he joins Milan in the new year. While United are seeded for the knockout stages, Milan are not when the draw takes place in Switzerland tomorrow. That means United are among six teams they could be drawn against. "I would really like to face my former team in the next round," Beckham, who will join Milan on loan from LA Galaxy, said yesterday. "Since I left in 2003, I have not returned to play at Old Trafford. Seven years have gone by and I would like for that to happen. Me against Manchester United, it would be beautiful, wouldn't it?"
John Nisbet, The Independent
The Mirror's David Anderson believes Antonio Valencia is starting to compensate for the loss of Cristiano Ronaldo’s firepower. He writes: "After chalking up his sixth goal with a great strike against Wolves, Valencia is proving he can fill Ronaldo's goalscoring boots."
Sir Alex is pleased with his players’ response after demanding more goals according to Graham Chase of the Daily Star. He quotes the United boss as saying: "A few weeks ago I asked the players to start being more decisive with their chances, especially in the early part of a match, instead of appearing to take the relaxed view that like buses there will be another along in a minute. It seems they took my plea on board because we’ve been finishing a lot better."
On a similar theme, The Sun quotes Patrice Evra on how the Reds should have been more ruthless against Wolves. He said: "I was not happy to only score three goals. The goal difference is important and, in a game like that, we should have won by five or six."
And Becks got his wish...
AC Milan Vs Man U
If all went well for Manchester United fans in the Champions League, David Beckham would sit on the Milan bench in the second leg until the visitors' elimination in the last 16 tie was certain. Then, with the opposition tamed, the Old Trafford crowd could celebrate their former player unreservedly. The occasion, however, may not be so mellow as all that and a reunion elsewhere must also hold complexities.
Inter, who will take on Chelsea, are bound to hold the attention, for good or ill, when José Mourinho returns to Stamford Bridge, but there may be a gathering strength in the Italian representatives as a whole. Fiorentina, who should now present a grave challenge to Bayern Munich, won five of their six group matches and played their part in the ejection of Liverpool by beating them home and away.
There has been a small but significant improvement at Milan, whom Beckham will join next month in a second loan spell from LA Galaxy. Having arrived for his first stint in good time to be part of the elimination by Werder Bremen in the obscurity of the last 32 of Uefa Cup, he did help his side achieve automatic qualification for the Champions League as they finished third in Serie A.
While there has been no transformation, Milan do feel more encouraged nowadays. Despondency had initially appeared likely after Leonardo switched from technical director to coach and so replaced Carlo Ancelotti despite lacking the usual qualifications. Early results, such as a 4-0 trouncing in the Milan derby, were galling. On the Champions League front, they must have been anguished after conceding a goal to FC Zürich in the 10th minute and then failing to counter.
The following match in the tournament, however, resembled a revolution when Alexandre Pato scored twice as Real were beaten 3-2 in the Bernabéu. It was a triumph, with a forthright team selection, that seemed to epitomise the way in which Leonardo has imposed himself. Difficulties remain, with Milan restricted to a 1–1 draw away to Zürich, but there is more vigour.
Beckham, indeed, faces a challenge to make the starting line-up. Pato, Marco Borriello and Ronaldinho, whose fitness has improved somewhat, make up a three-man attack that also has Clarence Seedorf in close support. If the Englishman has his eye on an elder statesman's post in front of the defence, he may have to pull off the unlikely feat of deposing Andrea Pirlo. While Beckham could expect to be preferred to Massimo Ambrosini in that same area of the midfield, the Italian is more convincing at stopping opponents.
It will be a further sign of Milan's progress if their defence, too, is obstinate. That could be beyond their scope, however, if Alessandro Nesta is unable to plug as many gaps as he does in Serie A. On the other hand, United have work ahead to demonstrate that they can still overwhelm opponents as they did so readily when Cristiano Ronaldo was on the books. Sir Alex Ferguson should expect to advance, but the tie might still be more redolent than he would wish of gruelling encounters with Milan in the past.
In principle, Mourinho's Inter should be even more formidable when it comes to putting Premier League adversaries in jeopardy. It is certain that he will be welcomed with an unqualified ardour that he cannot always enjoy at San Siro. The manager has always seemed to have a low boredom threshold and when Sandro Mazzola aired the possibility of Mourinho being sacked, the Portuguese spoke of his critic as if he were a nobody whose fame as a great creative midfielder of the 1960s had long since expired.
The origins of the dispute lay in the doubts that surrounded Inter's prospects of qualifying from their group. Mourinho's side only went through with the relatively undistinguished total of nine points after beating Rubin Kazan in the last match. Mourinho's squad is extensive but it can look stale. The arrival of Wesley Sneijder has, however, addressed that to a degree and, when fit, he can send the team into menacing attacks.
Last season, they were goalless against Manchester United at this stage in the tournament and conceded two at Old Trafford. The rivalry with Sir Alex Ferguson was, in effect, suspended because of Mourinho's inadequate means. It remains to be seen if his resources are significantly enhanced this time.
A tie with Chelsea does fascinate because of the emotional tangle it may embody for the Inter manager, but a seemingly plain encounter elsewhere has its dangers for a Premier League club. Porto, who take on Arsenal, were second in their group purely because of their two defeats to Chelsea, opponents who also looked markedly better than Arsène Wenger's team in the recent Premier League encounter.
The remaining group games were all won by Porto, with Atlético Madrid overcome twice and the manager, Jesualdo Ferreira, has taken the domestic title in each of his three seasons there. They may simply be a sound team, yet that will test an Arsenal side still under development.
well, Beckham did much for MUFC, but rem his jersey colours now.He is working for someone who is trying to end MUFC's UCL dream, and he is to be viewed as an enemy until after the game.
Given MU's 2nd leg is @ home, rather than the previous encounters, there is every chance MU will make it. Milan is strong but MU is no weakling too.
an awesome game to watch in the comfort of your own home. . . provided u have MIO. hope becks spoils the party though
if the defensive crisis extened to february, then united sure get beaten by milan.
why so kelong one the draw. People wish for who they get drawn against and it really happens. inter vs chelsea quite kelong also.
even if man utd kena kicked out... i hope it's by a goal from Beckham...
Originally posted by brokenluv:why so kelong one the draw. People wish for who they get drawn against and it really happens. inter vs chelsea quite kelong also.
haha, the draw "well" becomes wishing well.. U forgot to include real madrid vs lyon, old reunion for benzema..
Originally posted by I-like-flings(m):even if man utd kena kicked out... i hope it's by a goal from Beckham...
the stupid thing is beckham is on loan.. he could have played for MU too..