Ferguson still feels end-of-season nerves
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Lionel Messi reacts after scoring against VfB Stuttgart to put Barcelona into the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Photograph: Manu Fernandez/AP
Barcelona sporting director Txiki Begiristain has singled out Manchester United as the team to avoid in tomorrow's draw for the Champions League quarter-finals.
The European Champions have faced Sir Alex Ferguson's men three times in the past two years, with United knocking them out at the semi-final stage two seasons ago before Barça triumphed in the final last year.
Begiristain admits he would be wary of United's desire for revenge should the two be pitted against each other again.
"We are strong and, if we want to be champions, we have to beat everyone," he told Barça TV. "At this moment all the rivals are very strong but I would prefer to avoid Manchester United.
"I would not like to meet the club who were our opponents in the final last season because of the motivation they could have.
"I'm not scared about facing teams like Arsenal or Manchester United, because they would be great spectacles.
"The French have teams that play well too and we have the experience of facing Lyon last year."
Barcelona cruised through to the quarter-finals with a convincing 5-1 aggregate victory over Stuttgart thanks to last night's 4-0 second-leg triumph at the Nou Camp.
Begiristain hopes they have the fortune to be drawn to play the second leg at home. "The ideal would be to face the second leg of the tie in our stadium," he added. "Last year we had bad luck and we played the return legs in Munich and London [against Chelsea]."
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Reds await Euro draw
United's potential opponents for the Champions League quarter finals range from the very familiar to relative strangers.
Arsenal need no introduction, of course, having faced the Reds in more than 200 domestic matches - plus the first two European meetings between the teams in last season's semi final.
Bordeaux, on the other hand, have only played against United twice before - in the 1999/2000 season; however, the head coach is very well known at Old Trafford, Monsieur Laurent Blanc. The former Reds defender guided his team to home and away victories over Olympiakos in the first knock-out round.
Internazionale also joined United in winning both legs of their last-16 tie; Jose Mourinho's men beat his old side Chelsea 2-1 in Italy and 1-0 in London.
Barcelona are favourites to win the Champions League again after seeing off Stuttgart 4-0 at the Nou Camp, 5-1 on aggregate. Lionel Messi scored twice in their second-leg triumph.
Bayern Munich could face the Reds for the first time in eight years, despite losing 3-2 to Fiorentina last week. Louis van Gaal had two fellow Dutchmen to thank for steering his team through, with Mark van Bommel and Arjen Robben scoring away goals to settle a tie that finished 4-4.
CSKA Moscow may be the least appealing option in the draw, having already played United in the group stage this season. Not only that but their 2-1 win in Seville makes them a dangerous proposition.
Lyon complete the line-up after famously scalping Real Madrid and depriving Cristiano Ronaldo of the chance to return to Old Trafford. The Reds knocked out the French club en route to winning the competition in 2008.
Any of the above seven teams in bold could face United in the quarter finals, which will be played on 30 or 31 March and then 6 or 7 April - either side of the Reds' massive league game against Chelsea at Old Trafford.
The fixtures will be confirmed this Friday, 19 March, when the draw for the quarter and semi finals takes place at UEFA HQ in Nyon, Switzerland.
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United: Beat Bayern in 1999 final
Sir Alex Ferguson accepts Manchester United's Champions League quarter-final clash against Bayern Munich is "a very difficult tie".
United have been drawn to face Bayern in the last eight in a repeat of the 1999 final which they won in dramatic circumstances to seal an historic treble.
Sir Alex Ferguson's side will be at home in the second leg and also know they could face the winner of the all-French quarter-final between Lyon and Bordeaux in the semis.
United boss Ferguson said: "The history of playing Bayern in past European ties tells you it's going to be a very difficult tie for us.
"It'll be a fantastic atmosphere in both games. They have a great stadium and good pitch and we're up against a good, experienced team.
"Hopefully we'll have everyone we need for the game and we've got a good chance."
Manchester United club secretary Ken Ramsden admitted the Red Devils had received a favourable draw.
"If we chose the draw this would be a good draw but the games are there to be won and we're a long way from the final yet," he said. "I'm sure there'll be no complacency at Old Trafford."
Former Bayern midfielder Owen Hargreaves is ineligible to play against his former club but Ramsden added: "I'm sure it will add an extra dimension for him.
"I'm sure he'll want to be in Munich whether he's playing or not. It adds another element to a very attractive game already."
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Tough meh?.. Arsenal vs Barcelona look tougher for mi..
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Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson admits he still gets pre-match nerves before games as the season reaches what he once famously referred to as "squeaky bum time''.
Despite having 11 Premier League titles, five FA Cups, two Champions League crowns and a host of other trophies in his cabinet, the 68-year-old still feels the anxiety suffered by any other manager in the game.
Ferguson said: "You still get keyed up for games. It is part of it. It tells you that you still care about the game. Managers are subject to that more than anyone, that uncertainty and anxiety and apprehension about every game simply because the result is important."
Despite the nerves, Ferguson clearly relishes the business end of the season. He believes the emotional buy-in to the high stakes football is what defines his profession and that any manager who doesn't thrive on the nerves should look for a new vocation.
"Whether you are top of the league or bottom of the league it is what football does to you. If it wasn't that way then we are all in the wrong job. It is the win, lose, draw situation. You aim to win. You can't lose too many or you lose your job. There is no one in the game directly responsible for results more than the manager. No matter what way you look at it we are all subject to winning games of football and if not then we are on the dole.''
Ferguson, whose side will stay top of the table if they win at Bolton on Saturday, will be pacing up and down in the away dressing room at the Reebok Stadium waiting for kick-off.
He added: "There is that time when the players are doing their warm-up and you are on your own in a sense. Your staff are doing their jobs. It is okay when you are at home because you have your office but when you are away from home there is always that killing time, walking about and sitting in the dressing room.''
Ferguson said the touchline clash between Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini and Everton's David Moyes in midweek was a sign of such tension - and he praised the managers for making amends.
"Mancini wanted to rush the game, David was happy because he was 2-0 up,'' Ferguson said. "He says he maybe kept it for a second or two longer! The good thing is that Roberto apologised which was good of him. I think that was big, and they had a glass of wine after.''
Ferguson said he will be content if United arrive at the end of the season needing victory against Stoke at Old Trafford to secure the title. Chelsea and Arsenal are also both at home, to Wigan and Fulham respectively.
"With the three of us at home on the last day, if we have to win our home game I would be quite happy about that, and the other two will be saying the same thing. I am trying to work out the run-ins and what the eventuality is going to be and I cannot see anything other than it possibly going to the last game, unless somebody blows up.''
Ferguson also expressed his bemusement that Arsenal's Thomas Vermaelen had his appeal against a sending-off rejected with no extra punishment, while Rio Ferdinand was given an extra match ban for a "frivolous'' appeal.
"It is so inconsistent,'' Ferguson said. "It is difficult to analyse why Rio's was frivolous and that (Vermaelen) wasn't. I can't answer it, only they [the FA] can answer it They don't come out with a report do they, it's just sitting in the chambers of their minds.''