By Trevor Huggins
LONDON, April 23 - Manchester United are facing a
full-blown injury crisis before their biggest match of the
season in Tuesday's Champions League semi-final with AC Milan.
Injuries to defender Rio Ferdinand and midfielder Kieran
Richardson in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough mean that
seven of United's first-team squad are on the treatment table
before the first leg at Old Trafford.
Worse still for manager Alex Ferguson, the problems have
focused on a defence that badly needs to deny Milan an away goal
before United's trip to the San Siro next Wednesday.
Ferdinand, who will also miss the second leg with a groin
strain, joins injured fellow defenders Gary Neville, Mikael
Silvestre and Nemanja Vidic.
To add to their woes, central defender Craig Cathcart, who
had just been drafted in from United's youth ranks as cover, has
suffered a long-term injury in training.
Richardson's absence is a particular blow as he can also
deputise at left back. South Korean midfielder Park Ji-sung and
French striker Louis Saha are also out.
On the bright side, Ferguson expects left back Patrice Evra
to return after limping out of last week's Premier League win
over Sheffield United and Neville might just be back in time.
United, who routed AS Roma 7-1 at home two weeks ago, will
look to Cristiano Ronaldo, Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney to use
their pace and strike power to pressurise a Milan defence that
includes 38-year-old Paolo Maldini.
However, Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti believes that very
wealth of experience will give his team the edge.
Off the pace in Serie A, Milan can move up a gear in Europe,
as they showed in a 2-0 quarter-final win at Bayern Munich - the
German club's first European defeat at the Allianz Arena.
MILAN COURAGE
"These are matches in which composure and courage come to
the fore and those are qualities my team have; first of all with
Maldini, and then with the many other players who have huge
international experience," said Ancelotti.
Milan enjoy an unrivalled Champions League record in recent
years, with one win, one runners-up finish and two semi-finals
since 2003. Their composure was evident two seasons ago when
they beat United 1-0 at home and away in the last 16.
Maldini expects a tougher tie this time, telling reporters:
"Manchester United have grown in strength over the past few
years, and Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo are extremely
impressive."
But the former Italy captain added: "We're not scared and we
will go there in high spirits. What makes us strong is our great
mentality, our determination.
"To play just one more semi-final at an English ground with
the atmosphere we will face there, and the possibility of
reaching another final, gives me the strength to keep going."
In contrast to Ferguson, Ancelotti has a virtually full
squad available, with striker Alberto Gilardino back from
suspension to take the place of Filippo Inzaghi.
Their only worry is keeper Dida, who is struggling to shake
off a shoulder injury and would be replaced by Zeljko Kalac.
Probable teams
Manchester United: 1-Edwin van der Sar; 24-Darren Fletcher
or 2-Gary Neville, 22-John O'Shea, 6-Wes Brown, 4-Gabriel
Heinze; 7-Cristiano Ronaldo, 16-Michael Carrick, 18-Paul
Scholes, 11-Ryan Giggs; 8-Wayne Rooney, 14-Alan Smith
AC Milan: 1-Dida; 44-Massimo Oddo, 13-Alessandro Nesta,
3-Paolo Maldini, 18-Marek Jankulovski; 8-Gennaro Gattuso,
21-Andrea Pirlo, 23-Massimo Ambrosini, 10-Clarence Seedorf;
22-Kaka; 11-Alberto Gilardino
Referee: Kyros Vassaras (Greece)
(Additional reporting by James Eve in Rome)