Rooney won't be risked

Sir Alex Ferguson says he will not risk Wayne Rooney against Bayern Munich on Wednesday night, despite admitting that the striker would be at his most persuasive for a place on the bench.

Rooney injured his ankle in last week's quarter-final first leg defeat at the Allianz Arena and sat out United's Barclays Premier League clash against Chelsea on the weekend. Media reports suggested he may make a quicker-than-expected recovery and run out against the Germans at Old Trafford, or at least be named on the bench, but Sir Alex quashed those rumours at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday.

Rooney has made "good progress" and the boss praised the medical staff's "fantastic" work, but he said he would not risk the 24-year-old so soon after suffering ligament damage. The soonest fans can expect to see Wayne in action again is likely to be against Blackburn Rovers on Sunday, perhaps as a substitute.

Asked if Rooney had a chance of being involved on Wednesday, Sir Alex said: "No. We have made some good progress with the lad. The medical team have done some fantastic work, but I'm not prepared to take a risk on a player that's not 100 per cent fit. We're looking more at the Manchester City game, or maybe Blackburn as a sub. The boy is making good progress, but it's an ankle injury. It's no different to any other ankle injury. I can't take a risk."

However, having ruled it out altogether, Sir Alex seemingly left the door slightly ajar when asked if Rooney may possibly make the bench. "I don't think so, no," he said. "He'll maybe talk me into it. But, no, it's a difficult one." That remark may well be analysed in the press, but it seems that if progress to the semi-finals is to be achieved then the Reds will have to do it without the prolific no.10.

06/04/10 - ManUtd.com

We're ready for Bayern

Nemanja Vidic insists there will be no title hangover when the Reds go head-to-head with Bayern Munich at Old Trafford.

Following Saturday's disappointing defeat to Chelsea, United will switch attentions to the Champions League this week as the Reds aim to overturn a 2-1 deficit and claim a place in the last four.

Vidic admits the players were disappointed after the setbacks against both Bayern and Chelsea, but says it's vital they move forward and focus on putting things right on Wednesday.

"We were down after the first Bayern game, but we can't allow ourselves to be down again," he told MUTV.

"We need to face facts that we have been disappointing in the last two games, but we also need to keep our heads up and not feel sorry for ourselves.

"We must make sure we finish this season well."

06/04/10- ManUtd.Com

'United sukar tanpa Rooney'

Dia pemain hebat yang sukar diganti dengan pemain lain: Ancelotti

LONDON: Carlo Ancelotti menegaskan kecederaan Wayne Rooney menjejaskan impian gelaran Liga Perdana dan Liga Juara Eropah Manchester United.

Pengurus Chelsea itu berkata: “Mereka bukan pasukan yang sama tanpanya.”

Blues kendalian Ancelotti mendaki ke tangga teratas liga selepas menang 2-1 di Old Trafford, Sabtu lalu dan beliau menekankan betapa kehilangan aksi Rooney selama tiga minggu akibat kecederaan ligamen dan menjaringkan 34 gol, sebagai faktor.

Dan United mungkin tersingkir daripada suku akhir Liga Juara-Juara Eropah esok apabila mereka perlu mengatasi defisit 2-1 pada perlawanan pertama menentang Bayern Munich.

Ancelotti berkata: “Rooney adalah pemain hebat yang sukar diganti dengan pemain lain. Berbatov bagus tetapi Rooney benar-benar berbeza.

“Rooney kadangkala mampu kembali mendapatkan bola dan menggunakannya bagi seluruh pasukan dan dia boleh menyerang dari pelbagai arah. Dia memang pemain yang mengagumkan.

“Ini bukan tempoh baik buat United selepas tewas kepada Bayern minggu lalu kerana mereka kehilangan pemain utama.

“Tidak mudah buat United mengekalkan karektor dan momentum tanpa Rooney. Tapi, mereka punya kemampuan untuk mara dan saya harap mereka mampu melangkah ke separuh akhir.”

Chelsea meraih kemenangan berganda ke atas dua pencabar - United dan Arsenal - dan Ancelotti berkata: “Kami perlu melangkah lebih jauh tapi kami tercicir beberapa mata kepada pasukan lain dan ini membuktikan Liga Perdana sukar buat semua pasukan.”

06/04/10 - Berita Harian

Rooney berpeluang beraksi jumpa Bayern

LONDON - Wayne Rooney mampu kembali beraksi bersama Manchester United untuk menghadapi Bayern Munich pada saingan Liga Juara-Juara, esok lapor media Britain, semalam.

Penyerang handalan England itu mengalami kecederaan ligamen buku lali dalam perlawanan pertama Selasa lalu di Munich yang mana Bayern menang 2-1.

Bagaimanapun, menurut sumber rapat kelab itu, Rooney pulih lebih cepat daripada yang dijangka dan berpeluang bermain biarpun pengurus Alex Ferguson mengetepikan pemain itu dalam tempoh 'dua hingga tiga minggu', Jumaat lalu.

United menjangka Rooney kembali bagi perlawanan derby menentang Manchester City pada 17 April ini, tetapi Ferguson mampu memilikinya semula lebih awal.

Rooney harap beraksi apabila menentang Bayern, siar tajuk utama dalam Daily Telegraph manakala Daily Mail menyiarkan United menguji Wayne bagi menentang semula Bayern.

Minggu lalu, England cemas dengan kecederaan yang dialami Rooney, kerana begitu hampir dengan Piala Dunia yang bermula di Afrika Selatan pada 11 Jun ini.

Walaupun Rooney meninggalkan perlawanan menentang Bayern dengan bertopang manakala kaki berbalut, dia mencapai kemajuan dengan berlatih menggunakan senaman berbasikal.

Penyerang England itu berada pada prestasi terbaik musim ini, menyumbat 34 gol dan pasukan Fabio Capello mengharapkannya dapat beraksi di pusingan akhir Piala Dunia.

Pemain berusia 24 tahun itu menjaringkan gol United pada minit kedua ketika menentang Bayern tetapi mengerang kesakitan di padang pada masa kecederaan, beberapa saat sebelum Ivica Olic menjaringkan gol kemenangan Bayern.

06/04/10 - Utusan Malaysia

 

Ancelotti: Berbatov is No Rooney

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has contradicted Sir Alex Ferguson’s claims that Manchester United can flourish in the absence of the injured Wayne Rooney.

“Manchester United are not the same team without Wayne Rooney in it,” Ancelotti said, as cited by British media.

“Rooney is a fantastic player who is difficult to replace with another player. Berbatov is a good player, but Rooney is totally different. Rooney can sometimes come back to receive the ball and use it for all the team, and then he can attack in any direction. He is an unbelievable player. Rooney and Berbatov have different characteristics.”

Ancelotti claimed he was not surprised by United’s poor first-half showing at Old Trafford on Saturday and expressed doubts about whether they can overturn a 2-1 deficit in Wednesday’s second leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Bayern.

“I’m not surprised because it is not a good moment for their team after losing to Bayern Munich during the week and because they have lost a very important player,” Ancelotti said.

“It was a strange game against Munich because after one minute they went ahead 1-0 and then tried to defend and counter-attack. It’s not easy for United to maintain their momentum without Rooney. It’s difficult for them now. But they have the possibility to move on this Wednesday and I hope United get to the semi-final.”

Following his unconvincing performance in the match against Chelsea, Bulgarian striker Dimitar Berbatov came under fire in the British media, which appeared to be putting this down to Sir Alex Ferguson selection policy, as well as to what have been called lack of talent on the part of the Bulgarian.

Rooney yang diharapkan, kembali....

Sir Alex Ferguson  memberikan kejutan musim ini dengan memasukkan Wayne Rooney dalam rencananya untuk Suku Akhir  Liga Juara-Juara Eropah melawan Bayern Munich pada hari Rabu ini. Sebelum ini Ferguson berkata, Wayne Rooney tidak akan beraksi  selama dua atau tiga minggu selepas mengalami kecederaan ligamen pergelangan kaki dalam kekalahan 2-1 selasa lalu  di Munich.

Tapi Rooney telah memberi respon positif dalam rawatan intensif dan menurut sumber-sumber yang boleh dipercayai, Rooney akan kembali beraksi dalam jangka masa terdekat ini. Ferguson tidak akan meletakkan  Rooney dalam risiko sebaliknya akan menunggu sehingga esok sebelum mengambil keputusan. Sekiranya pemain yang berusia 24 tahun ini masih belum dapat menyertai rakan-rakannya dalam sesi latihan, dia tidak akan dimasukkan. Alex Ferguson berharap agar Rooney cepat sembuh sepenuhnya untuk  kembali beraksi di Old Trafford dan meningkatkan peluang M.U mara ke Perlawanan Separuh Akhir Liga Juara-Juara Eropah.

 

Mengikut laporan, Sir Alex menyatakan bahawa kemungkinan tidak akan memasukkan Gary Neville, Paul Scholes dan Ryan Giggs untuk menentang Bayern Munich pada hari Rabu ini. Rafael Da Silva, Michael Carrick dan Nani direncanakan untuk menggantikan pemain veteran ini, yang nampak kurang bersemangat dan keletihan selepas melawan Chelsea dimana M.U mengalami kekalahan ketujuh Liga Perdana musim ini.

Dalam satu lagi laporan, mengatakan Berbatov mensia-siakan peluangnya semasa mengisi posisi Rooney - kurangnya ketajaman dibahagian serangan adalah punca masalah yang sebenarnya di Old Trafford. Sepanjang musim Ferguson telah meletakkan harapan  kepada Rooney dan tidak penganti seperti sebelum ini. Setahun yang lalu M.U mempunyai Rooney, Berbatov, Cristiano Ronaldo dan Carlos Tevez. Sebelum itu, ada Rooney, Ronaldo, Ruud van Nistelrooy dan Louis Saha.

05/04/10 - ManUtd.com