United in return to hell

McFLY

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MANCHESTER UNITED go back to hell in the Champions League.

The Red Devils face AS Roma where their fans were beaten by opposition supporters and riot police in terrifying scenes last season.

The April clash saw Roma ultras attack visiting supporters on their way into the stadium as police stood back and watched.

Inside the ground the riot police’s over-the-top reaction was slammed by United officials. The scenes shocked millions watching on TV as cops waded in to the travelling fans, brutally beating them.

At the time United said: “The distressing scenes witnessed in the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday night shocked everyone at Old Trafford.

“In what the club views as a severe over-reaction, local police handed out indiscriminate beatings to United supporters.”

Alex Ferguson’s men lost 2-1 on the night in the first leg of the quarter-final but won the return 7-1 with a display of scintillating football.

But again there was trouble outside Old Trafford between home fans and Italian ultras.

Last night, chief executive David Gill said United would do everything to avoid such scenes this time.

Gill said: “We need to do our homework and work closely with UEFA and Roma and hope lessons have been learned by the Rome authorities.

“Our fans behaved properly and were largely blameless.

“We want the match to be remembered for what happens on the pitch, not off it. We want to make sure our great travelling fans see the game in comfort and safety.”

As well as Roma, United will face Sporting Lisbon and Dynamo Kiev in Group F.

And boss Ferguson hopes it will be the first step to realising his final ambition in football — a second European Cup.

The win against Bayern Munich back in 1999 is his only success in 13 assaults on the continent’s biggest club prize. Ferguson said: “I agree a club of this size should have won it more times. I think it has to be a remaining ambition of mine to win it again.

“You see the great names on that trophy who have won it a number of times.

“I don’t think they have been any greater than us over the last few years, yet they have won it more times.”

The only other time United won the European Cup was in 1968 — 10 years after the Munich air crash.

This season will be 50 years since the disaster. Winger Ryan Giggs said: “To win the European Cup again this season to mark 50 years after Munich would be the most unbelievable tribute.”

Ferguson, 65, certainly believes he has the depth in his squad to do it this time.

He has strengthened the midfield with Owen Hargreaves, Nani and Anderson, while Carlos Tevez has been added to the frontline.

Last season, Fergie reckons he simply ran out of players and the team ran out of steam.

They lost in the semi-finals for the third time, on this occasion to AC Milan.

Ferguson said: “If we had more freshness last year, we would have got to the final.

“I’m still enjoying management and I would enjoy it more if we won it.”

Chelsea will be looking to push United all the way.

They face Valencia, Schalke 04 and Norwegian minnows Rosenborg in Group B.

Blues chief executive Peter Kenyon said: “It’s the elusive competition for us but there’s a determination fuelled by a squad we believe we’ve strengthened.

“We’ve been in two semi-finals in the last four years, so the next stage is to get to the final.”
 
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