Inter Milan's Managerial Merry Go Round Continues

Massimo Moratti has continued to live up to his cutthroat reputation by sacking Claudio Ranieri, a day after declaring he would be in the post until the end of season following a 2-0 defeat to Juventus.

The Inter Milan president has now dismissed two managers this term, after Gian Piero Gasperini was dismissed in September after a poor start to the season.

It at first looked like Ranieri had turned the San Siro sides fortunes around, dragging the club up the table and away from the relegation spots, but with Internazionale languishing ten points off third place Lazio, the final Champions League spot, the club have acted.

Conflicting Statements

Following the weekend defeat, Moratti stated early on Monday:  "I think that Claudio Ranieri will remain until the end of the season."

With a statement following later in the day, after the sacking, on the club's website that read:  "President Massimo Moratti and everyone at Inter Milan would like to thank Claudio Ranieri and his staff for their professionalism, dedication and honesty during their time in charge of the team."

Inter, and crucially Moratti, are desperately trying to get the club back to the glory years of it's not too distant past under first Roberto Mancini and then Jose Mourinho.

Ex Inter manager Ranieri

Stability and patience though are clearly not options to be considered.

However, if you think two managers in a season is a bad record you will have to look back to the 1998/99 season, when they last failed to make Europe and four men sat at the helm during the season.

Luigi Simoni, Mircea Lucescu, Luciano Castellini and finally Roy Hodgson all came and went in a humbling period for the club.

Future

Andre Villas Boas is reportedly the early front runner for the post, but until a successor is appointed youth team coach Andrea Stramaccioni will take over:  "Inter also announce that they have entrusted the team to Andrea Stramaccioni, the coach who won the first edition of the Next Generation Series," continues the statement issued by the club.

Whoever does come in on a full time basis will have to contend with Seria As highest wage bill, at a staggering €200m a year, and you would think a major overhaul of the squad is also a high priority.

Firepower has been lacking somewhat since the sale of Samuel Eto'o last summer to Anzhi Makhachkala, while top earner Wesley Sneijder has not hit his usual spectacular highs.

A shrewd appointment is needed; if it doesn't arrive the fans may not blame the manager and could look further up the pecking order.

Future Stars - David Alaba

Could this be one of the future gems to add to the Bayern Munich crown.  After hitting headlines as a bright prospect, the hype around the young midfielder seems to have died down a little.  One thing is for certain though, if column inches aren't being dedicated to the 19-year-old now they certainly will be in the future.

After starting his career at SV Aspern, David Alaba quickly caught the eye of Austrian giants Austria Vienna and his bags were packed.  After joining in 2002, progress through the ranks seemed to be rather swift.  After being named amongst the squad for an Bundesliga matched in his native Austria, it wasn't long before Germany's biggest team came knocking and he was transferred for the second time in his young life.

Bayern Munich seemed to be the platform that was required, and after a debut season in 2008/09 spent in the youth system he was promptly elevated into the second string.  It was here that an upward turn was taken, with his half season spent in the reserves proving very fruitful indeed.  Not only was he named in the squad for the Champions League, but on the national front he was beginning to be recognised too.

Following on from his two years in the under-17s, only a handful of games were completed in the under-21s before another promotion was completed.  This time into the senior set up, where he has remained since.  In addition to this, in January of last year it was also announced that Alaba was to train with the first team squad at club level.  Two others were also promoted at the same time, one of which was Diego Contento who has been making huge strides into the first team since.

David Alaba celebrating a goal for FC Bayern

In the next year and a half he would remain on the fringes of the Bayern Munich team, clearly showing signs of promise but not being able to crack into the first eleven on a regular basis.  It was announced before the 2011/12 Bundesliga season commenced that he was to go on loan Hoffenheim, where he has featured much more prominently.

That loan spell however expires shortly after the turn of the new year, and Bayern will be hoping the confidence and experience gained will ensure his transition into a first team regular will be rather swift.  Juup Heynckes could just have one of the next stars of the Allianz Arena on his hands.

Spotlight on - FC Copenhagen

Football Club København, or FC Copenhagen, have a very brief history but it hasn't been without it's controversies. From a manager that lasted one match to a much celebrated year of foundation, the near two decades that this club has been around have certainly not been quiet.  

Established: 1st July 1992
Home Stadium: Parken, 38, 065
Chairman: Hans Munk Nielsen
Manager: Roland Nilsson
Home Strip:  White shirt, white short, white socks
Away Strip:  Blue and Black shirt, Black shorts and Black socks with a Blue trim.

History

It is said to be "the greatest year in Danish Football History," the year this club came to fruition and the year Denmark suprised everybody by roaring to European Championship success.  It was of course 1992, and the reason I say the club "came to fruition" is because in actual fact FC Copenhagen dates back to 1876.  However back then they were known as Kjøbenhavns Boldklub (KB) and Boldklubben 1903 (B1903), making a unique situation which means that now the club's first team is a representation of two clubs.  With KB founded in 1876 this also makes them mainland Europe's oldest football club and first league winners,which they won 15 times, compared to their then rivals B1903s seven.

They slogged it out for many decades, with KB actually trying to run professional football before failing to garner enough financial support, before coming to this unique conclusion.  When Alex Friedmann, the wealthy backer of B1903 couldn't guarantee his support, a process was put in place to merge the two sides.

FC Copenhagen ply their trade at The Parken Stadium

KB were overtly keen to be playing professional football, while their rivals had players in place but no concrete stability heading into the future.  The rebuilding of the national stadium, Parken, also provided a top class arena to ply their trade.  FC Copenhagen was born, while the other two clubs are rooted in local communities around the Danish capital, seeking out talent for what is in essence a shared first team.

The club have gone on to be the focal point of Danish football since then, sticking to the principles and ambitions they set themselves nearly two decades ago:

• To be among the top 3 in the Danish Supliga and/or win the Danish cup and therefore qualify for one of the European competitions every year.
• To have a responsible economy
• To build up a local fan base and establish a wide corporate backing
• Play attractive positive football
• In the long term, to spearhead the Danish attack on European club honours.

 
Danish League titles have continued to roll in, maintaining one the principles they set up in the early 1990s.  It is though on the European front where they have begun to make an impression.  In the 2006/07 Champions League wins over Celtic and Manchester United at home instilled belief, whilst in 2010/11 FC Copenhagen became the first side from Denmark into the last sixteen.

Managers

Jesper Gronkjaer (left) and Stale Solbakken share a joke

Being a relatively new side with a limited history under this moniker, a huge influx of managers there hasn't been (although the 13 and two caretakers that have taken the hot seat is still a rather large number).  Benny Johansen was charged with leading the side in it's debut season, taking charge for two seasons and boasting an impressive win percentage of over 51.72 but winning only a solitary Superliga Championship.

Fans of The Lions had to sit through 8 more managers though, before another championship title arrived.  This was thanks to the only non Scandinavian to have taken up the reins a certain Roy Hodgson who delivered in his only season at the club.

It was here, in the early 2000s, that the domination started, firstly under Hans Backe and then Stale Solbakken.  The latter proving to be the most successful in the history of the club, delivering numerous amounts of silverware and a win percentage of 59.26.  Christian Andersen had the stormiest spell, managing a solitary game before being fired.

Players

Celebrating a goal against Panathinaikos last year

A wide array of fine footballing talent has taken to the Parken pitch adorned in the colours of FC Copenhagen.  Lars Jacobsen, Christian Poulsen, Jesper Gronkjaer and Brede Hangeland are just some of the names that will be familiar to fans of the English Premier League.

By far the biggest name to have plied his trade at the club is Brian Laudrup, who in 1999 managed 12 games and scored 2 goals.

However it would perhaps be Lars Hojer or Todi Jonsson that are remembered with most fondness.  Both managed 54 goals, a club record, doing it in 166 and 167 games respectively.

Trophies

Danish league
1993, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011

Danish Cup
1995, 1997, 2004, 2009

Coca-Cola Cup
1996
 
Super Cup
1995, 2001, 2004

Ørestad Cup
2000, 2002

King’s Cup
1994

Royal League
2005, 2006

Transfer flops: Florin Raducioiu

You know you've had a bad time of it when a footballer himself describes an ill fated spell at one of his many clubs as a "disaster."  Cue Florin Raducioiu who used those exact words when describing the time he spent plying his trade at West Ham United.  So just how did a Seria A and Champions League winner with AC Milan end up at Upton Park, and what made the spell one to forget.

Raducioiu began his career in his native Romania where he was a product of the Dinamo Bucharest academy, and went on to play for the club for four years after being given his chance at the tender age of just 17.  A four year jaunt in Italy followed this, where he initially joined Bari, before moving on to Verona, Brescia and then Milan.  The trophy haul though doesn't reflect a happy and glistening time at the San Siro, in fact he managed only a handful of games before being shipped off to another country.

It was Espanyol where he found himself this time, but after just two years it was off to Euro 96 in England where a certain Harry Redknapp sat up and took note as he netted his countries only goal of the finals in a 2-1 defeat by Spain.  His time spent in the Premiership didn't exactly go to plan though, with the double figure mark of appearance just being topped and only two league goals to his name.  He will perhaps be remembered for off field controversy, something vehemently denied by the player, when it was alleged he went shopping at Harvey Nichols leaving his side one striker short.  Falling out with your manager is never a good idea, in any walk of life, and it wasn't long before Raducioiu was back off to Barcelona and old club Espanyol.

In the next seven, and final, years of his career, Raducioiu pilled up quite a list of clubs.  After leaving Spain for the second time it was on to Germany and a one year spell with VfB Stuttgart, before heading back to another old club and Brescia.  After two years home comforts lured the right winger/striker to first club Dinamo Bucharest, but it wasn't long before bags were packed once again and he jetted off to pastures new.  This time France was the destination, where Monaco aquired his services for a season, before one final hurrrah came at Creteil-Lusitanos and finally retirement in 2004 which brought an end to an 18 year career.

Radicioiu may have been far from a hit in London, and at many of his club for that matter, but on his jet-set career of Europe he did set an incredible feat.  He is only one of two players, along with Christian Poulsen, to have plied his trade in Europe's big five leagues (England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.)

Tottenham Hotspur

After a fourth placed finish in 2009/10, added to the bizarre remarks of Harry Redknapp concerning a title challenge, last season kind of slipped away in the end and Spurs were off the pace in 5th. Their summer has been dominated by the will he won't he departure of Luka Modric, and while other have been strengthening Tottenham have been left behind.

Goalkeeper

Heurelho Gomes is one of the most hit and miss keeper the Premier League has seen. Stunning one minute but horrific the next, and it seems Harry Redknapp has had enough of this up and down form. Carlo Cudicini is still on the books, and now Brad Friedel has linked up with the squad the battle for the first team place will be fierce.

Defence

There's quite a bit of strength in the Tottenham defence, although the injury troubles of the main man at the back Ledley King is a constant concern. Michael Dawson is a solid centre half, while the full backs try and attack as much as possible.

Midfield

If Modric goes he will of course have to be replaced, but other than that there isn't an awful lot wrong in the middle. Gareth Bale is getting recognition world wide, Sandro continues to impress while Rafael Van Der Vaart was a fantastic signing. Steven Pienaar and Aaron Lennon need to impress after a sticky season last time out.

Forwards

There's plenty of goals from midfield, but do this side's strikers contribute enough. Talk is rife of comings and goings, but it does seem this is where Redknapp needs the most help. And there isn't a front man out there who hasn't been linked with White Hart Lane yet this summer.

Manager

After pulling Spurs from the relegation places to Champions League in two season was a master stroke. As a result now though expectations have gone through the roof, and it could be a problem living up to what fans believe they should be achieving.

Areas to Strengthen

A prolific striker need to arrive, this could be the difference between the top tier of Europe or being nowhere. If Modric departs the Croatian will need to be replaced, but some of the deadwood need to be driven out.

Expectations

It would be unrealistic to expect a title challenge, but now Champions League football has been tasted both players and fans have got the taste for it. This could however be out of reach with the money spent by the other sides around them.

Odds

50/1 (Sky Bet)

Players in

Brad Friedel free (Aston Villa) Scott Parker £5m (West Ham United) Souleymane Coulibaly undisclosed (Siena) Cristian Ceballos free (Barcelona) Emmanuel Adebayor loan (Manchester City) Yago Falque loan (Juventus)

Players out 
 
Jamie O'Hara £5m (Wolverhampton Wanderers) Peter Crouch £10 (Stoke City) Wilson Palacios £8m (Stoke City) Robbie Keane £1.8m (LA Galaxy) Johnathan Woodgate free (Stoke City) Paul-Jose M'Poke undisclosed (Standard Liege) David Bentley loan (West Ham United) Jermaine Jenas loan (Aston Villa) Steven Caulker loan (Swansea City) Bongani Khumalo loan (Reading) Nathan Byrne loan (Bouremouth) Ryan Mason loan (Doncaster Rovers) Jon Obika loan (Yeovil Town) Kyle Naughton loan (Norwich City) Olumide Durojaiye (released)

Liverpool

Following a disastrous start to last season, it looked as though Liverpool could well be in the mire. However following the dismissal of Roy Hodgson and the welcoming back of Kenny Dalglish, their fortunes soon turned around. A terrific end to the season saw them come 6th, and with a mjor rebuilding plan in operation the Champions League is on the mind once again.

Goalkeeper

Jose Reina has broke records galore during his stint on Merseyside, if it wasn't for Iker Casillas he would be the Spanish number one and renowned worldwide as the one the finest around. Following doubts about his future towards the end of the season he confirmed he would stay, giving the side a major boost. Alexander Doni has also just arrived from Roma, providing a very good and solid deputy.

Defence

It is no secret that this Liverpool rearguard could do with a touch of TLC. A new left back is definitely is desperate need, while a central defender would also be welcomed with open arms. Jamie Carragher is getting no younger and Daniel Agger continues to be pestered by injuries, Martin Skrtel continues to perform however after completing every Premier League game last season.

Midfield

There is certainly no shortage of central midfielders at the club, but the more pressing concern is in the right wing berth. Dirk Kuyt could continue to operate there, but a more natural wide man would be the ideal solution. Stewart Downing has brought it for the opposite flank, while Jordan Henderson and Charlie Adam have added strength to the middle.

Forwards


It is hoped the £50+ partnership will really flourish at Anfield this season. While Luis Suarez had an immediate impact in England, racking up countless man of the match awards, Andy Carroll spent much of the time on the sidelines after arriving with an injury. David Ngog seems like he could be on the way out, so at least one more front man will need to be signed.

Manager

Dalglish has really united the club since his return, extinguishing the anguish and negativity that surrounded the previous brief regime. End of season form has really raised expectations, as has the lavish spending spree that is currently being enjoyed.

Areas to Strengthen

Despite the money already spent in this window and January, there is still plenty of improvements to be made. A left back must be the priority, while a centre back, right winger and striker would also be desired.

Expectations

Ignore all the talk of the title that is simply way out of reach, a return to the Champions League would be a huge coup for this side. It is still a rebuilding process at Liverpool, and they must first take small steps back into Europe's club competition before getting ahead of themselves in true style.

Odds

9/1 (Sky Bet)


Players in

Alexander Doni free (Roma) Stewart Downing £20m (Aston Villa) Jordan Henderson £16m (Sunderland) Charlie Adam £7m (Blackpool) Jose Enrique undisclosed (Newcastle United) Sebastian Coates undisclosed (Nacional) Craig Bellamy free (Manchester City) Villyan Bijev undisclosed (California Odyssey)

Players out

Sotirios Kyrgiakos undisclosed (Wolfsburg) Emiliano Insua undisclosed (Sporting Lisbon) Christian Poulsen undisclosed (Evian) David Ngog undisclosed (Bolton Wanderers) Raul Meireles (Chelsea, undisclosed) Paul Konchesky £1.5m (Leicester City) Tom Ince undisclosed (Blackpool) Gerardo Bruna undisclosed (Blackpool) Daniel Ayala undisclosed (Norwich City) Chris Mavinga undisclosed (Rennes) Tom Ince free (Blackpool) Jason Banton, Deale Chamberlain, Alex Cooper, Sean Highdale, Stephen Irwin, Nikola Saric (all released) Peter Gulacsi loan (Hull City) Stephen Darby loan (Rochdale) Martin Hansen loan (Bradford City) Daniel Pacheco loan (Atletico Madrid) Joe Cole loan (Lille) Villyan Bijev loan (Fortuna Dusseldorf) Alberto Aquilani loan (AC Milan)

Big week for Manchester City and Mancini

Manchester City face one of the biggest weeks of their season, with an away trip to Liverpool followed by the FA Cup semi-final. Although an away Premier League tie might not seem all too important, especially in semis week, just take a look at the Premiership table and you'll soon see why it is.

At this time Tottenham lie three points behind City in the battle for a Champions League spot. This time round it is the northerners who look in pole position, with Harry Redknapps men beating the blues to fourth last year with victory on their own Eastlands pitch.

It would of course be very tempting for Roberto Mancini to rest players tonight, considering the injury crisis facing Kenny Daglish and his defeat last time out at West Bromwich Albion. In addition to the fixture list which seems in City's favour, they have to play Liverpool while Redknapps men have both Arsenal and Chelsea coming up before they travel to Eastlands in May.

Resting players though would be a grave mistake, a victory at Anfield could breathe huge confidence through the squad before Saturday. City players shouldn't need a pick me up for a Wembley date with rivals Manchester United, but there's nothing wrong with added confidence. A win tonight would also give them a six point cushion, with Spurs having a game in hand against their bitter North London rivals Arsenal.

City fans though are quite rightfully looking past tonight and ahead to Saturday, to a game that could be huge for both clubs. United fans take pride in informing City how long it's been since they last laid their hands on silverware, while the Red Devils are in the hunt for a treble.

After the huge amounts lavished to Mancini a trophy coupled with Champions League qualification must be the least expected. And in all honesty, no disrespect to Stoke or Bolton, but whoever comes out on top on between Mancini and Sir Alex Ferguson will see their sides installed as huge favourites for the final.

We are very near the curtain call of the 2010/11 season, and this week could ensure it is a memorable one for the blue half of Manchester.

Spurs: Breath of fresh air in Champions League

Following an attacking goal fest of a group stage, Tottenham Hotspur progressed to the knockout stages of the Champions League full of confidence.

On the horizon came AC Milan, seven time winners of Europe's premier club competition.

Despite being huge underdogs Spurs players, staff and fans never doubted themselves, and returned to London with a terrific 1-0 victory.

It was widely regarded in Italy that Milan would stroll this tie, but now it would be a huge surprise should they not progress.

Harry Redknapp should be praised for refusing to reel in his sides attacking intent, and allowing them to stick to their guns with free flowing football.

Although, at times, their defence has looked suspect on the most part that has taken a back seat due to the quality of their play going forward.

It is no secret that this Spurs side has incredible strength, plus for a side out of the limelight for so long players who have experienced life at the top before.

No fear has clearly been the message of Tottenham in the Champions League this season, and long may it continue.

We have seen all season long Manchester City, Spurs' top four challengers, not exactly set the world alight with attacking football.

Whatever the reason for this, confidence, pressure or indeed the defence nature of an Italian manager, I'm sure most people will agree they are relieved Spurs won the top four race.

As we are set for another thrilling finale in the Premier League, Redknapp and his men have the perfect distraction and pick me up.

However far they get just progressing from the group stage, as winners, shows huge progress in itself.

Anything else now is just a bonus, but whose to say when this story will end.

Milan wrote of Spurs and see where it got them, anyone is Europe do it at your peril.

Future Stars - Ioannis Fetfatzidis

After easing in to this new feature with Liverpool defender Martin Kelly, we have now spread our wings further afield to Greece.

Olympiacos' attacking midfielder, who can also operate on the wing, is causing a lot of people to sit up and take note in his native country.

Fetfatzidis joined the Olympiacos academy at 12, rejecting overtures from other Greek giants AEK Athens and Panathinaikos.

He made his debut against Atromitos a little over a year ago, and went on to make his Champions League bow a few days later as a substitute at Standard Liege.

The Greece national team was the next calling, making his under-21 and senior debut's both this year.

This season has seen the youngster feature more for his club, with Olympiacos finally realising his huge potential and rewarding him with a new contract.

Europe's top team swill now have to pay in excess of £10m, Fetfatzidis also seen his wages rise significantly in a contract which now runs until 2015.

His main attributes is his dribbling ability, along with a great technique for someone so young.

If he can continue to improve in this way, Fetfatzidis could be a huge name for Greek football for many a year.

Future stars - Martin Kelly

To kick start the new future stars feature, we start on our shores with a young English defender that is really starting to make a name for himself.

20-year-old Liverpool youngster Martin Kelly is predominantly a centre back, but mostly finds himself deputising on the right side on defence.

A position where he is gaining huge plaudits, with some positive that in a few years he will not only be number one at his club but for the England national side too.

Sundays 2-0 home victory over Chelsea saw Kelly once again deployed in the right-back berth, after Glen Johnson suffered another injury set back, and together with the rest of the back four he performed admirably.

While the clubs number one Johnson often gets criticised for defensive lapses, this isn't a problem for one of the most promising players to come through the Liverpool academy in years.

His defensive abilities are getting better each performance, whilst he is also getting more confident going forward.

Emphasised with a wicked strike on Sunday that was just deflected round the post by the Chelsea defence.

Previous manager Rafael Benitez often seemed unwilling to bleed to many youngsters into the squad, but the fact he brought through Kelly speaks volumes.

His senior debut came in the Champions League during the 2008/09 season, when he came on as a substitute away to PSV Eindhoven.

With his first start coming in the same competition a little less than a year later, when Liverpool took on Lyon at Anfield.

After returning from injury next up was a call to the England under-21 side, where he rewarded Stuart Pearce with a goal on his debut against Uzbekistan.

In a world where football is hugely evolving, and there is a crying need for versatile full-backs who are equally adept at defending as well as attacking Kelly could thrive.

If he continues to get regular game time, the calls that he will be England's number one in a few years time could not be too far off the mark.

Gareth Bale - simply superb!

It is often a difficult task in sport, to find an Englishman who is jealous of anything to do with their neighbours.

However 21-year-old flying winger Gareth Bale is proving to be an exception, and after another storming display people up and down England are declaring "if only he was English."

His Premier League form has been excellent so far this season, but it is the last two European games that have put him on the radar of Europe's elite.

In Maicon Inter Milan have one of the best right back in the business, Bale though has made him look pedestrian for 180 minutes of football.

As if a tremendous second half hat-trick in the San Siro wasn't enough, he laid on two goals last night as well as a number of other chances.

Is their anything that he can't do?

He can help out in defence, run at defenders and skin them easily, take dead balls, cross, shoot pretty much all with the same effectiveness.

However with Real Madrid, Barcelona and Inter Milan all rumoured to be interested, Spurs will have to do everything they can to keep hold of the Welsh winger.

Not too far in the past Spurs were willing to get rid of Bale due to poor performances, but they have stuck by him and look at the effects.

Lets just hope he realises this and does seek pastures new on the continent.

National Cups Devalued

As the League Cup gets underway once again this week, it is clear that year on year not just this but now the FA Cup are increasingly getting devalued.

For a number of years now the League Cup has been seen as the competition for the lower sides, with the bigger ones instead deciding to give their younger stars a run out.

And although over recent years we have seen the likes of Manchester United put out a first team in the business end of the tournament, they have still relied on the future stars to get them to that stage.

It was only in the second leg of the Manchester derby semi-final that Sir Alex Ferguson called upon his senior stars.

Now though we are also seeing the FA Cup follow down the very same road, with the FA selling out this great tradition for the Champions League.

It is known that the more respected of our national cups takes place one week before the finale of Europe's premier competition.

However with the Champions League heading to Wembley for this years final, the FA find themselves in hot water with a Fifa ruling.

That ruling is that no play can commence of the pitch where the Champions League will take place for two full weeks before the Showpiece.

That means the FA have no choice but to move the final of the tournament that encapsulates the heart of a nation, to a week earlier on the final day on the regular Premier League season.

Meaning it will become nothing but another fixture, just like the League Cup final has become over the last decade or so.

The days of the old romance of the cup, and England's footballing world coming to a stand still on final day could be coming to an end.

If this is the case it would be such a shame, let's just hope next season the cup recovers and the FAs sell out doesn't have any major impact.

Fergie's bizarre week so far

Following the weekends crazy 3-3 draw at Everton, with two goals conceeded in injury time, Manchester United headed into the Champions League as over whelming favourites for their game at home to Rangers.

However a second debatable team selection in a week left the Red Devils with their second draw in four days.

The decision to keep Wayne Rooney out of the cauldron of hate at Goodison Park seemed the correct one at 3-1 up, but with the Toffees fighting back the debate was always going to be raised.

So we headed into the first round of the Champions League proper, with United Fans quite rightfully optimistic about their sides chances against a Rangers side that in all honesty doesn't quite match up.

While we can praise the defensive performance of the Scottish side, you have to point to Sir Alex's team selection as the main reason as to why the English side didn't come out huge victors.

A number of first teamers were left out, as confidence seemed to be brimming within the United squad.

Either confidence or arrogance.

As the game grew on it was clear United didn't have the creativity to open up Rangers, and the finger will no doubt to the manager and the team he selected.

Nani, who had one of his better displays on Saturday, and Dimitar Berbatov were both left out as they seem to show signs of hitting form.

While there are still five games left in the group stage and they remain favourites to top the group, they can't allow future games to hugely dictate squad selection like last night.

Many sides have tried it in the past and it simply doesn't work, just looked at Liverpool under Rafael Benitez.

Although the game against the Anfield side on Sunday in huge, and now people are rested, surely if they had played against Rangers and won the confidence gained would be the greatest motivator.

If United don't win on Sunday the accusatory finger will once again linger over Old Trafford.

Let's get ready to rumble

So, at it's new Saturday evening slot, the battle of the Bernabeu will take place.

Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan V Louis Van Gaal's Bayern Munich, with both sides looking to claim an unprecedented treble.

Both have had troubled times in their respective leagues this season, but have crucially come through to take the ultimate prize.

Domestic cup competitions have also fell the way of this years two premier Champions League teams, meaning this evening could be one of the most exciting European finals for many a year.

You would expect a fully attacking match, although, you could be majorly disappointed.

In this years competition Mourinho has been criticised for sitting on leads, and doing just enough to get over the line.

But never going out to score as many goals as possible, however you couldn't bet against the Portuguese to come up trumps once again.

And if he does so he could soon be bidding a, not so fond, farewell to Italy.

It is not a secret that the Italians and Mourinho don't enjoy the best of relationships, and a treble win could be his legacy in Serie A.

Bayern on the other hand have always gone out to score this season, and as a result have been left short at the back on occasion.

This is exactly the type of thing that will not have gone unnoticed by the Milan side, and if this situation crops up tonight it will be fully exploited.

Wesley Sneijder's passing could unlock most defences, and with men short at the back it wouldn't be hard to pick out the pacey Samuel Eto'o.

Although the German's aren't short of attacking talent themselves, however they will be without main man Franck Ribery who is suspended.

That means Arjen Robben will have to step into the breach and be the creative force for his side, which we have already seen him do this season.

His wonder striker at both Fiorentina and Manchester United rescued his team, whereas Mourinho's side have often looked comfortable.

Even at Stamford Bridge and the Nou Camp where one goal would've knocked them out, they didn't look like conceding (although they come close in the latter, when a goal was disallowed for a dubious hand ball).

One thing is for certain though, someone will win a treble tonight and become a legend at their respective club, and I wouldn't bet against Mourinho adding another chapter to an already amazing story.