Real Madrid v Manchester United: This is the One

It’s that time in the football calendar where the big games come thick and fast, as the season prepares to draw to its dramatic climax. And such games do not come much bigger than Real Madrid v Manchester United; two teams that were built for such gargantuan encounters, each both steeped in a rich history, with silverware central to their stature as European giants.

Manchester United fans have had to wait a little while for such a mammoth contest, perhaps not since their Wembley defeat in the Champions League final of 2011, after being outclassed by a far superior Barcelona side. Now the Reds have a chance to pit their wits against another dominant force of Spanish football; a chance to showcase their abilities on a larger scale.

In truth, United are running away with the Premier League title, and after their capitulation at the hands of neighbours City last season, that complacency has surely been erased from the squad. The recent defeat of Everton at Old Trafford, which took United a significant 12 points ahead in the race for the domestic crown, summed up this resilience and battling spirit to go further than last season and finish the job in style.

Madrid, on the other hand, are coming from a far different league situation, currently trailing leaders Barcelona by a surely unassailable 16 points, with Europe clearly their new focus. Madrid are undoubtedly the favourites, however, in this last 16 contest, purely due to their attacking prowess, with former United man Cristiano Ronaldo the focal point in a devastating attacking line up. Yet United would be foolish to merely look to stop the Portuguese number 7, because in Ozil, Di Maria, Benzema and Higuain, Los Blancos are armed with a scintillating frontline, and one that is capable of ripping apart any side in Europe.

Nevertheless, like United, Madrid have struggled defensively, shipping many goals as well as scoring them. The Reds have to take advantage of this, because in Rooney and van Persie they also have a formidable attack, definitely capable of sneaking a goal at the Bernabeu and providing an essential away goal that could shape the tie. A lot of the talk has been about which side Sir Alex Ferguson will select, and a lot of hints will have been provided by the players that featured in the win over Everton.

Many have said that Sir Alex will adopt a defensive approach, adopting a five man midfield and sit behind the ball in order to nullify the home side in order to take something back to Old Trafford for the second leg. That is all well and good, but I feel that United have to come out and play a bit more than that conservative approach suggests. United should simply play to their strengths, with Rooney off of Van Persie and with wide players supporting on the flanks; a direct approach, yet still maintaining their composure on the ball.

That is why Michael Carrick is essential to United’s evening on Wednesday, as his ability to both screen the defence, whilst also linking together attacks with comfort and ease have made him a cornerstone of the United team this season; a season that has been his best in a red shirt. Carrick, in the past, has often gone missing in the big games, but tomorrow night he needs to take his superb league form on to the next level, against some of the best midfielders in the business.

I am surprised that both Phil Jones and Ryan Giggs played such big roles at the weekend, as I would have selected both alongside Carrick in midfield, but Sir Alex always has a plan, and who would question the man? He knows Mourinho inside out, and vice versa, so it makes for an extremely appealing clash. Wednesday night will be like a boxing match, with a lot of early sparring as each team sizes the other up and chooses the right moment to make their first move. United need to play a part just as much as Madrid, and there is a danger that United will again, like that night at Wembley, simply let the occasion pass them by. The big players, like Rooney and van Persie need to match the Spaniard’s flair, whilst the team as a whole needs to have the game of their lives. Daunting a task as it may seem, a team like Manchester United should always believe, because believing is something born into the football club and the men in red should never be written off.

Cristiano Ronaldo playing against the team that gave him his entrance on the world stage, over two legs of enthralling football and Mourinho v Ferguson, is always going to be enticing for any football fan, but for United fans, as The Stone Roses song goes, ‘this is the one we’ve been waiting for’. This really is the one.