Wednesday, 13th February, 2013
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson believes that his side are meeting Real Madrid at just the perfect time.
Ferguson’s boys face the Spanish giants at the Bernabeu this evening for the first leg of their Round of 16 tie, aiming to take a good result back to Old Trafford.
Meeting Real Madrid would be a test at the best of times, but Ferguson has been boosted by the shape in which his squad are in approaching the clash.
Apart from long-term absentee Darren Fletcher, the Manchester United boss has a fully fit squad, while his side are also in a commanding position in the Premier League, boasting a 12-point lead over second-placed Manchester City.
"I think it is a good time for us to be playing Real Madrid", explained Ferguson to his pre-match press conference.
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"We have a fantastic lead in our league and we have everyone fit", he continued.
"When you come into this part of the season you can have two or three players injured – we don’t have that, which is a bonus."
And, oozing confidence, the Manchester United boss pointed out that matches against the likes of Real Madrid in the Champions League are why he is in the dugout.
"When I started as a manager many years ago, I dreamed of playing against the top teams as a manager and you get the opportunity to do that in the Champions League on a regular basis."
Manchester United warmed up for the clash in superb style at the weekend by putting Everton to the sword 2-0.
Real Madrid were equally impressive, grabbing a 4-1 victory over Sevilla.
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