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Sir Alex has faith in Rossoneri

Sir Alex Ferguson is confident that AC Milan will not look to exploit the fact that three United players are walking a suspension tightrope in Wednesday night’s Champions League semi-final showdown.

Should the Reds negotiate a route past Carlo Ancelotti’s side, Paul Scholes, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gabriel Heinze would all miss the final if they are booked in the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza.

In last Tuesday’s semi-final, first leg and 2005’s second round double-header, however, Sir Alex saw no reason to fear tactical skulduggery from the Italians. He does, however, admit that his trio could be fearing the worst.

“I think it is a pressure on the players, it must be,” admitted Sir Alex at his pre-match press briefing. “But I hope that there’s fairness from the referee. It’s a big game for him, he’s a young referee with a good reputation and I’m hopeful that it’s done the right way.

“My biggest confidence is in AC Milan because I don’t think they’re a team who would do anything to get players booked. There’s no point to it, neither team benefits because we don’t play each other again. It can only help the opponents in the final.

“In the games I’ve seen against AC Milan, there’s no evidence of anything wrong. You only have to go back one week to see the manner and the spirit in which the game was played in Manchester. I think it was a credit to both sets of players and their professionalism. I expect the same on Wednesday.

With Milan skipper Paolo Maldini in a similarly precarious disciplinary situation, Sir Alex is confident that fair play will prevail ahead of the showpiece final in Athens in three weeks’ time.

“Maldini is also on two yellows, and I think that if Milan were to beat us, everyone would want to see Maldini in the final,” he said.

“I’ll be in Athens, no matter whether it’s with United or to see the final, and I think a tournament like the Champions League needs the best players. For me it would be fantastic to see Maldini, at the age of 39, playing in a European final.”