The war of words between Bayern Munich and Manchester United continues to roll on as the pair prepare to meet in the quarterfinal stage of the Champions League.

Bayern coach, Louis van Gaal, says the club are not focusing on Wayne Rooney as the main threat to the current German league leaders. The coach says the United side is fill of other players who can cause problems.

However, the Dutchman has already said that the main focus for his Munich side will be to win their home game and win it well. They will have to get in front if they are going to have any chance of coming through the match at Old Trafford.

He said: “I’m not afraid of anybody. I’m never afraid and never have been. My players are not afraid of anybody either. We respect his [Rooney’s] qualities, but, as a team, we can handle him. We also have qualities. I think Sir Alex [Ferguson, the United manager] and his players are maybe a bit afraid of my players.”

“Rooney is a super-footballer and he isn’t that old. He is now very difficult to keep out of the game, but it is important not to concentrate on one player.”

“I was the one who said to Arjen that it would be better if he wouldn’t start. I protected him, but he and the doctor said that he could play.

Sir Alex Ferguson added: “I don’t pay any attention to that. They have had one or two bad results of late but that doesn’t mean they are a bad team. We are not getting carried away and thinking for a moment this will be an easy game.”

“I think it’s a massive week for us — we have two big games against Bayern and a great game against Chelsea. You have to enjoy it and at the same time know it’s crucial. You hope you don’t make any mistakes and hope they will happen to [your opponents] to win games for you. It’s going to be an exciting week.”

The match is sure to be a tight one but the point is that it could well be Rooney who is the difference in this game. Bayern’s problem seems to be that they are focusing only on their attack and the potency of their two wingers.

This is a bad mistake because if they are naïve enough to think that if their wingers bomb forward all night, they will win the game. United know exactly how to soak up the pressure and then hit teams on the counter attack.

They blew AC Milan away who have a much more experienced and technically gifted side than Bayern Munich. They are also leading the way in the Premier League having suffered all season long through injuries.

It would take a brave man to bet against United in Germany this evening because if Bayern switch off for a second, that’s the away goal in the bank for United.

David Beckham will be out of action for at least four months, according to the surgeon that is set to operate on him.

Beckham pulled up during AC Milan’s last match with what looked like a very serious and career threatening injury. It also looks as though it has ended any chances the player has of playing in the World Cup this summer.

Beckham is a well-respected professional player and many still consider him as the best kicker of a dead ball in the entire world. This injury set back is not what Milan or England needed.

The surgeon said: “To start kicking and playing football [will be] about three months. For [maximum] performances and maximum kicks and jumps, maybe it takes one month more, 3-4 months before one is able to do light playing.”

Milan coach, Leonardo, also said: “David’s injury makes us sick. When I think of his personal history, everything I know about him, how hard he works, I feel so bad for him.”

“Tonight was a very important win for us, but David’s news definitely puts a downer on the evening. David knew he was injured immediately.”

Beckham pulled up with a broken ankle and immediately starting making gestures towards the Milan bench that he thought his foot was broken.

It is a horrible reminder of when Beckham broke his foot playing for Manchester United a few years ago, again just before a major World Cup. You cannot help but feel sorry for him.

Beckham would have brought a number of valuable things to the table for England at the World Cup. Firstly, he would have been one of the most experienced players in the side, which would have helped the youngsters.

Secondly, no one can take a free kick in the England team as good as he can and when it comes down to it, the two or three goals scored like this can make the difference for a team trying to reach the later stages of an important competition.

Beckham’s Milan team mates said they felt a little distressed at how much pain Beckham appeared to be in. While the opposition coach has already said there was nothing in any challenges on Beckham during the whole evening, the Milan players and staff clearly feel there was some intent.

There is the smallest of chances that Beckham could still be on the plane to South Africa. However, these chances are very very small. The point is that the tournament will be about to start when Beckham is allowed to start training again.

It does open up a gap in the England team for someone who plays in Beckham’s position to come in and do the business just when the country needs it. Hopefully the impact will not be so great by the time England kick a ball at the World Cup.

AC Milan have closed the gap on city rivals Inter to just one point at the top of Seria A after a 1-0 win over Chievo. The Rossanari grabbed all three points, despite a lacklustre display, courtesy of an injury-time winner from veteran Dutch midfielder Clarence Seedorf.

However, the game was marred by injury to David Beckham, who is now expected to miss this summer’s World Cup after tearing his Achilles tendon in the second period. Milan boss Leonardo will take the injury on the chin, though, and can now set his sights on winning the club’s first Scudetto title since 2004, such is the dominance of bitter rivals Inter.

Jose Mourinho has aided Milan’s resurgence with a string of poor results domestically in recent months, letting a one-time eight point lead be reduced to a single one. The turnaround in fortune could prove a blessing for the Italian game as its popularity has suffered due to a combination of Juventus’ fixing scandals, Inter’s four consecutive titles and a general dip in quality of the top sides.

A head-to-head close season between two of the most successful sides in the history of the Italian game should now put Seria back into the limelight and, should Milan overhaul Inter completely, could re-ignite interest in the league in the long-term.

Meanwhile, the race for the last UEFA Champions League spot heated up as all three teams contending for fourth place dropped points on Sunday. A double from Alessandro Del Piero couldn’t provide victory for Juventus who were held 3-3 at home by Siena and they remain in fifth place.

Elsewhere, Palermo remain in the coveted fourth spot despite going down 3-2 away to Udinese. The other team in contention for the European spot is Sampdoria, and they were denied three points away to Bologna as an injury time equaliser from Andrea Raggi sealed a 1-1 draw at the Renato Dall’Ara.

Wayne Rooney has insisted that he has no goals target for Manchester United by the end of the current season.

Rooney really is the man of the moment and seems to score in pretty much every game that he plays. He helped United romp to a Champions League win over AC Milan and is now zoning in on the Premier League golden boot.

Rooney is very close to some of the targets that Ronaldo set during his best spells at United but the scouser says he does not have any figure in mind and is just taking one game at a time.

He said: “I am delighted to get two more goals but I have not set myself a target. I just want to keep scoring. Overall, it was a great result and we are delighted to get through. Now we can just look forward to the draw and see how it goes from there.”

“There is no preference. They are all difficult games at this stage of the competition. The first goal was vital. We set out to get an early goal to kill the game off and when we got it we shattered Milan’s confidence. That was the major turning point.”

United Chief Executive, David Gill, added: “Anyone who went on our tour of the Far East last summer knows the strength of feeling that Malaysians have for the club. Over 40,000 attended our training session and another 40,000 came to the second match in Kuala Lumpur, despite only having 48 hours’ notice of the fixture.”

Gill is speaking about the new reported sponsorship interest for United from the Far East. It may not be too long until Rooney could get a few deals out there too if he carries on laying the way he is.

There is no doubt about how important the striker is to the current team. It will not be too long before people bow down to Sir Alex Ferguson all over again and say that he was right all over again to let Ronaldo go in the first place.

Many said he had lost his marbles, said it was time for retirement but it seems to have been just the thing that United needed in order for Rooney to step to the front of the queue and be counted.

However, that decision cannot be fully judged until the end of the season has actually arrived and then everyone can see if United are holding a trophy or not.

Rooney is bound to play a big part in that and if he does keep on scoring goals, then United are bound to win something by the end of the season. Ferguson will know exactly how to nurse the player through the rest of the season.

Many criticised the gaffer for leaving Rooney on the bench during the Carling Cup final but it seemed the right thing to do because it inspired him, fired him up and probably went a small way to him bagging the winner.

AC Milan player, David Beckham, has said that his former club, Manchester United, can go all the way in the Champions League this season.

Beckham was talking after United beat AC Milan comfortably after the second leg at Old Trafford. Beckham got the come back to his boy hood club, which he said he had been dreaming of ever since he left.

United now look to be in a very strong position and with some other high calibre clubs going out of Europe, there job may have just got slightly easier.

Beckham said: “When you get knocked out of a competition you kind of hope that the team that knocks you out goes all the way. It is always disappointing when you lose games, especially when they are as important as this, but we’ve come up against a great United side tonight.”

“The thing that I will take is the reception I got from the fans, it was unbelievable. It meant a lot [coming back here]. It’s definitely up there as one of my best nights, obviously without the result. The atmosphere, the occasion and everything that the fans gave to me tonight was unbelievable. I hope they go all the way again. They deserve to, it is a great club, a great fan base and a great manager.”

“I’m a Manchester United fan and when I saw the scarf I wanted to put it round my neck. It’s the old colours of United but, it’s not my business. I’m a United fan and I support the club. I always will, but it’s got nothing to do with me how it’s run. That’s all to do with other people. I will always support the team.”

“He is one of the best in the world at the moment, if not the best. Wayne will continue to play like that because he is a passionate player, he is a young player, he wants to learn. With [Lionel] Messi and Ronaldo he is up there with the best, if not at the top. He has always scared defenders, whoever he has played for. Let’s hope he continues that.”

Milan were no match for a clearly in form United side that probably could not have played any better. However, it is important for Ferguson’s side not to get carried away ahead of some important matches.

There are still some big sides in the Champions League who will be wanting to make good on European promises they may have made at the start of the season.

United will be praying that Rooney does not get injured any time soon because it is clear he is one of the most influential players playing football at this current time. If they lose him it will be a huge blow to the club and for England ahead of a big summer.

Next up for United is Fulham at Old Trafford in a match that United will be hoping to use a chance to push on their Premier League ambitions for the season.

Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, says his side are fully aware of the threat that David Beckham poses on his return to Old Trafford.

Beckham travels as part of an AC Milan side looking to cancel out a 3-2 lead they conceded in the first leg of the tie, which was played in Milan.

Beckham could start the match as he did not play a full 90 minutes in Milan’s draw against Roma at the weekend and Ferguson still clearly rates him as one of the best dead ball takers in the whole world.

He said: “It is difficult to say what effect David will have on the tie because we don’t know whether he is going to start, but the one thing with him that you have to be aware of is his delivery of the ball, it’s fantastic.”

“I think David’s strength has always been his crossing and his set-piece play, that doesn’t change, and if he plays, that will be the threat against us.”

“We will try to do it in our normal way. Winning in Milan for the first time was a landmark victory for us. It was a psychological thing, but I don’t think we should be confused by the 3-2 scoreline. It does not represent a bye into the quarter-finals. What we need is an early goal because with the advantage of away goals in the San Siro, Milan would then find themselves in a very difficult position.”

“Credit must go to Wayne and his rise in the game. I just wish I had the two of them [Rooney and Ronaldo] there.”

Leonardo added: “It’s incredible to see the way he has developed and matured (Rooney). Maybe it has something to do with Cristiano Ronaldo leaving. He has had to step up.”

Milan will have to come to Manchester and attack from the off. They will have to score at least two goals if they are to stand any chance of winning this game and that means an uphill climb from the first whistle.

That also means keeping United quiet at the other end. If the home team manage to get the first goal then it could virtually signal the end of the tie. However, there is still a lot of football to be played.

Funnier things have happened and United will want to see off Milan in style and send out a message to the rest of the European teams still in the Champions League.

Milan have the experience but they are lacking the special extra edge, which a player like Rooney will give to United. They have ageing players all over the pitch who have been here before but it could take some moments of magic to make the difference.

Milan cannot concede an early goal. They probably need to be 2-0 up by half time if they are going to get through this game. If they get two goals and defend, it could be difficult for them to hold out.

Manchester United, Lyon, Bayern Munich and Porto each take a lead into the UEFA Champions League second round second leg after in an intriguing return of Europe’s premier club competition.

With the playing format of the tournament altered this season, just four of the eight second round ties took place this week, with the other four commencing next week, and it was United who gained the most impressive result.

AC Milan 2 Manchester United 3
A brace from in-form Wayne Rooney helped them to a creditable 3-2 win over Seria A giants AC Milan in the San Siro. The rejuvenated Ronaldinho handed the Italian outfit a third minute lead with a deflected volley before veteran midfielder Paul Scholes equalised for Alex Ferguson’s men ten minutes before the break.

The match turned into the Rooney show in the second half, as a pair of headers moved United into control of the tie as Milan’s unfavourable average age began to show as their performance waned. Veteran Dutchman Clarence Seedorf ensured Leonardo’s men hold a glimmer of hope in the second leg with his sublimely taken goal five minutes from time.

United will be without midfielder Michael Carrick for the return leg, however, as he received a foolish second yellow card for kicking the ball away in stoppage time. The English side will no doubt remain overwhelming favourites to progress, with the Old Trafford meeting pencilled in for the 10th of March.

Porto 2 Arsenal 1
Meanwhile, Arsenal have given themselves plenty of work to do as they must overcome a 2-1 deficit after going down away to Porto in a game riddled with mistakes. Lukasz Fabianski was the centre of attention after he gifted the Portuguese side an 11th minute lead after fumbling Silvestre Varela’s cross.

Veteran defender Sol Campbell, making his first Champions League appearance since Arsenal’s 2006 final defeat to Barcelona, popped up with an equaliser soon after but he was at the forefront for Porto’s second in a bizarre phase of play.

Goalkeeper Fabianski was penalised for picking up a backpass from Campbell, before the pair stood aimlessly as the hosts got on with the indirect free-kick, leaving Radamel Falcao the simple task of tapping into an almost empty net with the Arsneal goalkeeper stranded when he perhaps should have been more alert.

The Gunners remain favourites to progress to the quarter finals despite the defeat, with an impressive home record at the Emirates this season leaving them confident the tie is far from over. Manager Arsene Wenger’s injury list should have lessened by then, with his beaten side heavily weakened through injury in Wednesday night’s encounter.

Lyon 1 Real Madrid 0
Elsewhere, Real Madrid have also given themselves an uphill task after they went down to a shock 1-0 defeat to Lyon. Jean Makoun’s screamer was the only goal of the leg, with Madrid’s star-studded side unable to break down the resilient French side.

The Spanish giants have an added incentive in reaching this year’s final as it takes place in their very own Bernabeu stadium, not to mention spending in excess of £250million in the summer in president Florentino Perez’s latest ‘Galacticos’ era.

But they must come from behind in the second leg if they are to continue their quest towards a tenth European Cup. Should they fail to progress, however, manager Manuel Pellegrini’s job could well be on the line.

Bayern Munich 2 Fiorentina 1
The week’s only other Champions League game took place at the Allianz Arena where Bayern Munich took a 2-1 win over Fiorentina in an evenly balanced tie. Former Chelsea winger Arjen Robben opened the scoring from the spot on the stroke of half-time, his sixth consecutive match in which he has scored.

Former Everton defender Per Kroldrup got the Italians back in the contest shortly after the break but the Germans ensured they take a slender lead to Stadio Artemio Franchi thanks to a controversial goal from Miroslav Klose.

It is debateable whether the Germany international should still have been on the pitch after escaping with a yellow for a lunge on Cesare Natali earlier in the match, but there was no debating his equaliser should not have stood.

The 31-year-old, a second half substitute for Thomas Muller, was clearly yards offside when he nodded in a minute from time, leaving the Viola coach Cesare Prandelli livid with the decision and no doubt determined to gain justice in the return leg.

AC Milan midfielder, David Beckham, has said that Sir Alex Ferguson will always be the best manager that he has ever worked for.

Many have suggested that Beckham is looking to settle a score with Ferguson, over the way Beckham was forced to leave the club for Real Madrid over seven years ago. We all remember the stitched eye and stories of a boot being kicked across the dressing room in Beckham’s direction.

However, Beckham insists that there is no bad blood and he has only love and admiration for arguably the longest serving and best manager in the whole of football. There can be no questions at all that Beckham would not be half the player if he had not had the guidance of Ferguson.

Beckham said: “Sir Alex Ferguson was always a father figure to me, always has been, always will be, whether we’ve had good times or bad times and no matter what people have said in the past about our relationship.”

“He gave me the chance to play for a club I’d always dreamt of playing for. I definitely don’t hold anything against the manager — he’s really an incredible man. There are only good memories from Manchester United, nothing else. There’s definitely no score to be settled.”

“It’s the first time I’m going to want Manchester United to lose. But if I scored, I wouldn’t celebrate. I want to score and if I did it would be amazing, but out of my respect for United and the fans, I wouldn’t celebrate.”

Ferguson added: “David left seven years ago, you move on in life. It’s a different team and different players. That’s what happens. I hope he’s not celebrating anyway. David has experience, 100-odd caps for England and has played for Milan, Real Madrid and United. It’s the same experience as the likes of Nesta, Inzaghi and Seedorf. They all have that experience Milan bring.”

“We are peculiar like that at this club because the players, like Beckham, who come through the ranks are always viewed as being better than those you buy. Rooney has been fantastic and he has developed that aura. His form has brought him to the high point of his career, without a doubt. World class is a misused term, but with Rooney, you have to say he is getting to the point where he is now one of the best players in the world.”

It is very clear that Beckham still has a deep love for the club that made him the star he is today. Ferguson played a massive role in making him such a key and important player. However, there will be some hearts in mouths if United concede a free kick on the edge of their own area.

United fans may have mixed emotions when Beckham trots out onto the pitch but he moved for his own reasons and he was a model professional during his time at the club. Hopefully his departure will not come back to haunt them.

David Beckham’s lasting top-flight career at AC Milan proves that he still has what it takes to compete at the very top level.

This is according to Ryan Giggs, a dominant figure in the Manchester United team, while Beckham played the game in England. Giggs is now United’s most experienced player and is wary of the threat David Beckham will have when the two teams meet this week.

Beckham made the big money move over to the Los Angeles Galaxy a couple of years ago and has been playing on loan in Italy in order to maintain his levels of fitness.

Beckham is arguably the greatest dead ball player of his time and this is something that his former club will need to keep a close eye on if they are to progress to the last eight of the Champions League.

Ryan Giggs said: “We are different in the sense he has been in the limelight, front page and back, while I prefer to keep myself to myself. But I still speak to him. He has not changed as a person.”

“He has always loved football. He has always been dedicated and that is still the same now. Like myself, Becks looks after himself. He is naturally fit and is a natural athlete, so I am not surprised he is still going at all. In fact I reckon he will keep going for another three or four years.”

“We had a couple of chances to meet when he was at Real Madrid but it is great that it will finally happen and great for Becks to come back. It will be fantastic for the fans to see him again because he was a great player for United and still is a great player for England and Milan and in America as well. I hope he doesn’t do anything nasty to us. He is a quality player and has always risen to the occasion. Hopefully he will enjoy it – but not that much.”

AC Milan are one of the more under rated sides in the Champions League this season. They have a lot of quality and experience on the field but the over all age of the side is something that many pundits are saying will hold them back.

Beckham will probably want to make a big impression on his return to Manchester as the circumstances surrounding him leaving the three time European champions were less than perfect.

United need to be careful that they do not run around the pitch and give away a lot of silly free kicks. Beckham only needs once chance and he would love to stick it to United despite his admiration and love for the club that raised him.

Many people write Beckham off but his passing is the best in the game. The only thing he lacks is the pace to play at the real top of football for much longer. If United can keep the tempo of the tie up then it could all be too much for him.

England strolled to a 3-0 victory over Belarus thanks to goals from Peter Crouch and Shaun Wright-Phillips. However, it was David Beckham who stole the show as he came on for the last half an hour and produced a vintage display.

Beckham was in fine form and played many precise passes and crosses and set up the goal for Wright-Phillips. Although it is debateable whether he will make it into the World Cup starting line up he has shown that on his night he is as good as anyone else playing in the right midfield position.

Fabio Capello said: “Yes, I was a bit surprised. I just thought it was like Obama getting the Nobel Peace Prize after eight months as President. Beckham gets the man of the match after 30 minutes here.”

“When he’s played the last 20 minutes, 50 minutes, half an hour, from half-time, he’s always played well and been focused. Sometimes players when they’re substitutes have problems playing normally. Beckham always plays well.”

Beckham himself added: “I’ve always said I want to go back there if they want me [AC Milan] Milan are still saying they do. It’s 95 per cent done, very close, so I can’t see it not happening now.”

Steve Bruce, who made Beckham man of the match, said: “He had, for me, the biggest impact on the game even though he was only on for 35 minutes. He’s desperate to get on that plane to South Africa. He lifted the whole occasion. His passing is second to none. He is a difference-maker. At this level of the game that is what you need.”

Beckham will still have a lot of work to do if he wants to entertain any thoughts of nailing down a spot in the world cup squad. Sooner rather than later the eyes of many players are going to be opened up and they will realise that there is a possible slot up for grabs.

At the moment David Beckham holds it but the point is that someone could just as easily come in and snatch it away from him. He has to be very careful about his next few steps and if he does get another move to AC Milan sorted out then it will be the best possible thing for him.

Beckham is still a fantastic passer of the football and very few can get close to him. He is experienced and looks as hungry as ever.