Ferguson confident ahead of Bayern tie

Posted Tuesday, March 30, 2010 by theguardian.com

Alex Ferguson warns Bayern that Manchester United are near their peak

Ferguson confident ahead of Bayern tie
Sir Alex Ferguson feels that the return of his first-choice centre-backs has helped his side hit their peak form.

Sir Alex Ferguson has challenged his Manchester United players to capitalise on Bayern Munich's problems in their Champions League quarter-final tomorrow and to demonstrate to Chelsea that his side are in their most exhilarating form of the season ahead of Saturday's potential title decider at Old Trafford.

Ferguson is encouraged by the fact Bayern have worries over the fitness of Franck Ribéry and Arjen Robben, as well as having Bastian Schweinsteiger suspended, and his players will be under instructions to play with the same sense of adventure that brought them three goals against Milan in San Siro in the previous round.

"I think we are in our best form of the season and it's a massive week for us now," Ferguson said. "In the space of eight days we have two big games against Bayern and a great game against Chelsea in between. We have to enjoy it and, at the same time, know it's crucial.

"I respect Bayern Munich," added the United manager. "I have great admiration for the club. We are playing history, and teams with a certain history play with pride. The motivation of playing a quarter-final will be big for Bayern, so we are not getting carried away and thinking for any moment that this will be an easy game.

"But we are in good form. The return of [Nemanja] Vidic and [Rio] Ferdinand and [Edwin] Van der Sar has made a big difference and we're looking a lot more solid. We are picking a team that we think is right, and on Saturday I'll have a different thought maybe. Tomorrow is the one to get over first."

The key, according to Ferguson, could be whether United score in the Allianz Arena, and he argued against 0-0 being a good result to take back to Old Trafford for the return leg. The manager is encouraged by the return of Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney – "they are both fit" – and spoke of his hope that United could meet Laurent Blanc's Bordeaux side in the semi-finals. "He was one of my players and the job he has done at Bordeaux has been absolutely brilliant," said Ferguson.

Owen Coyle, the Bolton manager, was the recipient of some distinctly less flattering remarks after his criticisms of Vidic for an alleged elbowing offence that left Johan Elmander needing stitches to a head wound during Saturday's game.

Coyle had described it as a "terrible challenge" but the Football Association is not going to take retrospective action against Vidic, and Ferguson launched an impassioned defence of his player. "What's the story about those in glass houses? Vidic came in at half-time with a lump on his head the size of an egg, a swollen jaw and a black eye.

"It was clear he had his eye on the ball. It was a clear header from a centre-back, and there was no intent whatsoever, no eyes towards the centre-forward and I'm not sure he knew he was even there. His sole intention was to attack that ball and head that clear and he did that. It was the best performance I have seen from a centre-back for years."