• Champions League

Ferguson wants Old Trafford rocking against Milan

Manchester United v AC Milan
Sir Alex Ferguson has ruled out the possibility of Manchester United having to play the first 10 minutes of Wednesday's Champions League clash with AC Milan in front of a half-empty stadium.

United have a 3-2 advantage to defend against the Italian giants, meaning Milan need to score twice to have any chance of progressing to the quarter-finals. However, with Alexandre Pato expected to feature alongside Ronaldinho, Ferguson knows the tie is not beyond the seven-time winners.

As a result, Ferguson will want United's home support to help his team kill the tie off early, a wish he may not be granted due to the ongoing 'Red Knights' protest against their American owners. The Manchester United Supporters Trust have recorded rises in membership beyond 120,000, and there is the suggestion that a 10-minute protest will see fans boycott the ground on Wednesday.

"The fans won't do that,'' Ferguson said. "It is too important a game. Old Trafford will be rocking and I am sure whether they are wearing the traditional red and white or the protest green and gold scarves the supporters will be united and speaking with one voice to get us safely through.''

United will have to negotiate their passage into the last eight without Wes Brown - ruled out for six weeks by a metatarsal fracture, meaning Ferguson must choose between rookie Rafael da Silva or veteran Gary Neville to mark key man Ronaldinho. Anderson, Michael Owen and Michael Carrick are all guaranteed absentees, the latter of whom due to suspension, but Wayne Rooney has been declared fit following a knee problem.

Milan travel to Manchester having failed to score once, let alone twice, in their 0-0 draw at Roma, but coach Leonardo's men did manage two goals at Fiorentina and Bari in their previous away fixtures.

Leonardo's team selection in Rome arguably gave Ferguson more headaches than answers after David Beckham started on the bench, this despite the absence of Pato. The United manager does not expect Beckham to start at Old Trafford, in what would be his first competitive homecoming since joining Real Madrid in 2003, but Leonardo may well have been resting the England man by selecting Klaas-Jan Huntelaar at the Stadio Olimpico.

United are also likely to be facing a different goalkeeper in the second leg, with Christian Abbiati preferred to Dida over the past four matches. Dida is paying the price after being exceptionally slow in getting across to Paul Scholes' fortunate leveller at the San Siro.

Alessandro Nesta may well be the key man for Milan though as they bid to blunt 28-goal Rooney, who is United's focal point according to Leonardo. "Rooney is a fixed point of reference in the United team,'' said the Brazilian. "It is incredible to see the way he has developed, grown and matured as a player."

Real Madrid v Lyon
Real Madrid are set up for a night of drama in the Santiago Bernebeu as they bid to overturn a 1-0 deficit against Ligue 1 side Lyon. Jean Makoun's stunning drive separated the two teams at Stade Gerland, meaning an away goal for Lyon on Wednesday would leave Madrid needing three.

That task might not seem overly daunting to Madrid though, who have scored 25 goals in their last seven league matches. Manuel Pellegrini's men even faced a two-goal deficit at home to Sevilla in their most recent outing, before coming back from the death to win 3-2.

That victory was partially inspired by the arrival of Guti from the bench, and the enigmatic Spaniard is expected to start Wednesday's second leg as Madrid cover for the suspended Xabi Alonso. Marcelo is also suspended.

Lyon will be disappointed to be without dead-ball specialist Michel Bastos in Spain after seeing Iker Casillas concede a soft free kick against Sevilla, but the French club expect to have top scorer Lisandro Lopez and raiding left back Aly Cissokho fit.

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