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.

Two of the biggest football nations in the world are struggling to make ground in terms of qualification for the 2010 FIFA World Cup next summer. Both Portugal and Argentina, both archenemies to England, are failing to get into a good position in their qualification groups as the number of games left is running out.

England fans will be more than happy if this means that they do not have to play against either Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal or Lionel Messi of Argentina. Obviously you want the best players to be playing at the World Cup but unless both of these teams improve very quickly then they could miss out and create similar headlines to the ones that emerged when England did not qualify for Euro 2008.

Portugal coach, Carlos Queiroz, said: “As long as it remains mathematically possible, we will believe.”

Belief is important in football but the 1-1 draw against Denmark last weekend was a sign of Portugal’s lack of quality. Despite the fact that Ronaldo and a whole host of other high profile names played in that match, they could not break down the team that they are behind in group one by seven points.

Denmark looked a well organised and solid side and Portugal at times were lost and had no ideas.

As for Argentina, Diego Maradona, said: “There’s no cause for alarm.”

This is very hard to believe. Argentina are struggling to hold onto a play-off position at current and if results do not go their way in the next qualifying round of matches then it could see their chances of making South Africa all but over, which will be met by huge cheers from every fan in England.

What will make all of this news much more enjoyable to England fans is the fact that Maradona and Ronaldo are both hate figures in the country. Players such as Messi are universally respected for their non-egotistical style of play and the quality they always have. However, many still hate Maradona for the ‘Hand of God’ and pretty much every thing under the sun has been said about Ronaldo.

The point is that both teams are still in with a good chance of qualifying and until it is mathematically impossible, neither must be disregarded. Ironically England fans would probaby tell you they’d rather beat Portugal or Argentina at a late stage of the competiton as opposed to them not actually being there in the first place.

With former Anfield Ace Michael Owen having signed for Manchester United, plus Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano’s reluctance to commit to the club, Liverpool fans are suffering from a bad dose of treason this summer.

What a difference a year makes. Last summer, Rafael Benitez threw Alonso’s future at the club up in the air by going public with his pursuit of then Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry, with the Spaniard being touted for sale to fund the deal.

With Alonso coming very close to sealing a move to Juventus, both midfielders were part of a long transfer saga which was only exceeded by Real Madrid’s annual quest to prize Cristiano Ronaldo away from Old Trafford.

After Madrid finally landed the Portuguese star already this summer, attention has swung to the best of the rest of midfielders in the Premier League, and unfortunately for Liverpool, speculation continues to surround their Spanish-speaking central pair.

Both Barcelona and free-spending Madrid have made no secret of their desire to bring Argentine Mascherano and Alonso to La Liga respectively. But with neither player rebuff any proposal, loyalty issues once again arise.

There have been suggestions that Alonso has still not forgiven Benitez for his shabby treatment last summer, when the midfielder felt unwanted and unloved as he was almost forced into a move to Juventus. But a deal for Barry, who has since joined Manchester City, never materialised and Alonso stayed at Anfield and produced his finest displays in a Liverpool shirt to date last season.

Whilst some believe Alonso is within his right to hold a grudge against compatriot Benitez for his lack of faith, but in retrospect, his boss may have done him a favour.

Suppose it was not a lack of faith, but the kick up the behind Alonso well and truly needed. It’s easy to forget that the season prior to last summer, the Spanish midfielder had his poorest season in English football, scoring just two goals in an injury hit season.

Injuries are a part of the game players must be prepared to deal with mentally, and it appeared that Alonso lacked passion and determination upon returning from the serious metatarsal injury which disrupted his season. Determination is key to winning the hearts of Liverpool fans, just look at the much-loved Dirk Kuyt.

However, the point is, Alonso didn’t do himself justice in the 2007/08 season, and with Barry forming a formidable partnership with Steven Gerrard for England, Benitez saw the potential. Something had to give, and on the back of a poor season, the boss saw Alonso as a scapegoat towards landing Barry.

After neither move came about, Alonso started the season a Liverpool player again and signalled his intent to prove his worth early on with some ferocious displays and the fine form continued throughout the season as Liverpool totalled their highest points tally in their Premier League history.

Now the tides have turned, and it appears Alonso is the one in control of his destiny, as his performances last season have warranted interest from Europe’s most talked about club this summer. But before Alonso sets his sights on the Bernabeu, he should take a look back at last summer with thanks, rather than resentment for Benitez.

The Liverpool manager brought out the world class player in Alonso once again, as his determination returned while he vowed to prove his importance to the Liverpool team. If it wasn’t for the wake up call, Alonso could be plying his trade for the rather less glamorous Juventus, and he certainly wouldn’t have a £35m price tag which is reportedly the club’s minimum asking price.

As for Mascherano, the little Argentine has had his head easily turned by rumours of interest from European champions Barcelona. It’s little over two years since Benitez pounced to rescue the 25-year-old from his nightmare at West Ham.

The tough midfielder joined the Hammers with Carlos Tevez in 2006 and while his compatriot basked in the glory of almost single headedly saving the club from the drop, Mascherano was inexplicably left to rot in the reserves.

Benitez saw the bargain potential however, and duly snapped him up initially on loan before his incredible displays earned him an £18.6m move from his owners Media Sports Investments. Since then Mascherano has established himself as a genuine world class midfield performer, and it is little wonder that a club of Barcelona’s stature are attempting to sound out a switch.

The Argentine should be flattered, but no more. Should he knock on the manager’s door asking for permission to speak to the Catalan club, Benitez should give him a stark reminder of where he was in January 2007.

But where has the loyalty in football gone? Michael Owen stood with a huge grin on his face as he posed during his unveiling as a Manchester United player, seemingly without a care in the world of his illustrious past at Anfield.

He lost the hearts of some fans when he left the club for Madrid in 2004, but lost their respect for ever by signing that contract. Owen has turned his back on the club twice now, and if Alonso and Mascherano truly wish to go down as Liverpool legend in years to come, they should stop flirting with Europe’s elite and get back to perusing their rivals for that elusive Premier League title.

Sir Alex Ferguson is playing a very shrewd game at Manchester United as we continue to wait for the first big money signing to walk through the door at Old Trafford. Valencia and Owen are deals that have been completed but we all expected these due to the strong speculation surrounding each.

The point is that a lot of United fans are growing frustrated by Ferguson’s reluctance to part with a great deal of cash in order to bring in a high profile star. Well the boss has parted with another £3 million, or is about to, after taking advice from former defender, Laurent Blanc.

Blanc has advised Ferguson to take a gamble on Gabriel Obertan, a winger who currently plays for Marseille. Apparently Blanc has said that Obertan is better than Nani, which has put the future of the Portuguese player at the club in doubt. The point is that it is now seeming more and more likely that Ferguson will go for unproven stars to replace some important players that have just left his club.

Blanc said: “I was surprised too, but it is an unexpected chance for him to play with one of the best clubs in the world. Manchester United have been tracking him for a long time. They certainly hope to advance him, something that Bordeaux and Lorient have failed to do. He has the potential, but he must overcome psychological and mental challenges so he can express his true value.”

It is interesting to see if the move works. This transfer will create a similar effect to the one that surrounded the arrival of Michael Owen at United. There are those that believe Ferguson is playing a very clever game and has done his homework in order to poach a couple of very good players at very cheap prices and can put them on cheap deals.

However, there will be others, and this group will be the larger, that believe Ferguson is starting to lose his marbles. This is the group that cannot understand why Ferguson is not fighting for some of the high profile targets that he clearly liked. They all seem to be going to Real Madrid but United are not doing a thing to try and get them to go to Old Trafford.

It is very important that United do not get carried away with trying to find a formula that will produce the next Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo was a once in a generation sort of player and it would be naïve for the Manchester club to go around snapping up players in the hope that they will progress in a similar vein as the world player of the year did when he was at Old Trafford.

Ferguson is clearly a very shrewd man who possibly thinks that no player is worth a certain amount of money. However, he will have to up his game if he is to carry on competing at the very highest level because it seems that some other clubs are not fussed about morals when it comes to having to pay for a player.

United cannot replace the quality that has left by making such small and unpredictable signings. Sooner rather than later they will have to part with a large amount of cash to make good the influence of the players that have left. If they do not then they will simply get picked apart next season by teams that have a better squad and higher calibre players to spare than themselves.

Ferguson must still have a list of big name players in mind that he would like to make bids for. He has already missed out on Karim Benzema and it looks like Franck Ribery will go for a lot more than United would have been willing to pay. The point is that these are not the only high calibre players that are up for sale and Fergie must be working away on a signing that will shock us all.

If he does not act then he will be conforming to the view of those who feel he is losing it. However, this is unlikely and it could well just be a matter of time until Manchester United’s new star is announced. Clever and shrewd quiet moves are all one thing but they need to be blended with a bit of brashness and ambition in order for the squad to carry on winning trophies.

United seem to be establishing a new and younger squad following the recent departures. Ben Foster has just signed a new contract and the wheels may have been set in motion as Ferguson looks to reinvent himself and the club yet again. There should be no doubts over him because he proves every time that he knows what he is doing and every time he gets it correct.

Plenty of high profile players have left Manchester United in recent years and every time the club goes on to move forward and become better than they were before. However, the task is now more difficult than it has ever been because the players that have left are the most influential that United have had in recent times. You do not replace a midfield player that can score 30 goals in a season and win every personal award going.

United fans should have faith in their manager and should sit tight and hope that he knows exactly what he is doing. Sometimes the club will have to sacrifice a little bit of glory in order to once again solidify and move forwards. There is no better man to do this than Fergie and the imminent arrival of the Frenchman from Marseille could turn out to be a masterstroke. We just all hope that it does not signify the start of a downturn in the career of one of the greatest bosses to have ever graced the game. If all goes as plan then United will be sitting as pretty as any other club by the time the season starts in August.

So it’s official, the reigning world player of the year now plies his trade in La Liga. Cristiano Ronaldo was greeted by around 80,000 jubilant Real Madrid fans upon his official revealing as the Bernabeu neared its full capacity on Monday night. If you thought Florentino Perez’s second ‘Galacticos’ era had begun with the unveiling of Brazilian Kaka last week, well it has well and truly begun now.

Ronaldo’s unveiling breaks the record number of fans turning out for such an occasion which was previously set by none other than Diego Maradona, who attracted 75,000 upon his arrival at Napoli in 1984.

Put world records to one side for a minute however, take a step back and look at what effect this transfer can have on other major leagues in Europe. The arrivals of Kaka and Ronaldo in Madrid means La Liga have arguably the three best players in the world, with Lionel Messi set to remain at the Nou Camp.

Not since the early 1990’s when Seria A boasted players such as Gullit, Van Basten and Klinsmann has a league employed such world class quality from nations other than their own, and back then Italy was the place to be.

Although Premier League clubs self proclaim themselves to play in the ‘best league in the world,’ it very much appears that Spain is now the undisputed place to be, just like Italy was in the 90’s.

Italian football has suffered greatly since the well documented match fixing scandal in 2006, despite the national team winning the World Cup that summer. With the retirements of Pavel Nedved and Luis Figo this summer and Inter striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, probably the biggest name left in Seria A, signalling his intent to leave Italy, it now appears that only Jose Mourinho can save the league from dropping below the likes of Germany as one of the most prestigious in Europe.

Meanwhile, the English league remains as strong as ever, despite the loss of Ronaldo. However, it does now appear inferior to the Spanish game as the new most expensive player in the history of the game suggested himself.

‘The Premier League is a very good competition, but I think that the Spanish league is going to have a little more quality because of the players that are arriving,’ said Ronaldo earlier in the week.

‘Both leagues are going to be very good, but I think that with Florentino Pérez’s signings the Spanish league is superior to the English. It’s going to be a magnificent competition in Spain this year. All the players have a lot of quality and the referees protect the players more.’

Real Madrid now have the previous two Ballon d’Or winners, Barcelona hold the European Cup and to top it off the Spanish national team top the FIFA rankings after a couple of years in which only the USA have inflicted defeat upon them.

What remains to be seen is what effect all of the above will have on the other top leagues. Franck Ribery has made no secret of his desire to move to Madrid from German giants Bayern Munich, while Karim Benzema has already moved to the Bernabeu from Lyon as French football loses it’s only major star player.

Incidentally, Benzema turned down the opportunity to go to Old Trafford in favour of Madrid, further strengthening Ronaldo’s case for now playing in a league ‘superior to the English.’

The Premier League could be the one that suffers most from this summer’s activity. Speculation continues to surround the futures of Liverpool midfield duo Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano as Real and Barcelona continue to sniff around the pair respectively.

La Liga has continued to rob the Premier League of talents such as Thierry Henry, Alex Hleb and Arjen Robben in recent seasons, and the trend looks set to continue.

Cristiano Ronaldo. Don’t you just love him! If ever there was a player full of self-belief and ego, it’s him. Ronaldo has defended the cost of his world record-breaking transfer from Manchester United to Real Madrid, saying “great players cost a lot.”

The Portugal star’s 80 million pound switch to Real has made him the world’s most expensive footballer and Ronaldo is revelling in the limelight. The incredible transfer has opened up debate about the ridiculous amounts of money being spent on players, with even Manchester United legend Sir Bobby Charlton describing Ronaldo’s price tag as vulgar.

But Ronaldo has told the world press that he considers it a fair figure and believes he is worth every penny. “If Manchester United and Real Madrid agree this amount, there is nothing more to say,” is his stance on the matter. “The great players cost a lot of money. I’m happy to be the most expensive player in the world. I respect everyone’s opinions but I don’t agree with them. If Real Madrid have paid so much money, it is because they wanted me and have considered it a fair price. I’m going to do everything in my hands to play very well.”

Ronaldo is being unveiled to Real Madrid fans on July 6 who will show that they too believe in the investment. Around 50,000 fans were present at the Bernabeu to welcome Kaka and who would bet against that figure being nearly double for Ronaldo. And, talking about bets, put your money on Ronaldo being Real Madrid’s true hero for the season ahead. He might be able to talk to the talk and look the part but at least he can back it all up with tremendous skill on the pitch. He’s going to score some vital goals. We might raise our eyebrows at his ego but Ronaldo will make sure he has the last laugh.

If anyone had any doubt what the signing of Kaka by Real Madrid means to the fans, his official welcome would have proved the point. The Brazilian star was expected to be welcomed by around 30,000 supporters at the famous Bernabeu.

In the event, some 50,000 jubilant fans packed into the stadium and gathered outside, regardless of whether they could see the official proceedings or not. All they wanted to say was that they had been there. The ceremony itself was even more elaborate than the signing in of the President of the United States.

There were fanfares and opera, huge screens and massive pictures of stars like Zidane and Raul to demonstrate just some of Real Madrid’s other conquests. Silver trophies gleamed in the sun and no-one was left in any doubt that Real mean business this season.
They are gunning for Barcelona and the Primera Liga title.

Kaka has signed a six year deal with Real for a reputed 56 million pounds, a figure which stood at a world record for a few days before being smashed by new team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo.

Money was one of the temptations for Kaka, not necessarily for himself but for AC Milan who may have lost their star player but gained a healthier bank balance in the process. Kaka made it clear that he was well aware of what his sale would mean to the club in this economic crisis.

Crisis? What crisis, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez would be asking. Having signed both Kaka and Ronaldo, he apparently still has money in the pot and is gunning for some more star names.

Perez, who has pledged to build a great team, was in his element as Kaka was brought on to the stage and officially welcomed. The South American was gracious in his arrival, thanking everyone involved and pledging his loyalty to the club. “Thank you very much. It is a special day for me,” he told the fans. “I am very happy about this new era at Real Madrid and I want to add my name to its history.”

Kaka was presented with his new kit which had one omission – its number though, by all accounts, he is to be handed No 8. So what do we have in store for Ronaldo’s official reception? As the transfer fees get bigger, so do the ceremonies. Let’s see how the Bernabeu tops this one.