MANCHESTER UNITED are about to discover whether a winter of rising prosperity on the home front will enable them to share the common currency with Europe which in the Champions League has so far eluded them. Up to now the exchange rate has usually been against Alex Ferguson's team.
Porto, once coached by Bobby Rob son and the surprise Portuguese packets of the opening round, visit Old Trafford tonight in the first leg of the quarter-finals. For United, their 1991 Cup-winners Cup success notwithstanding, it is the most significant European occasion since, as holders, they went out to Milan in the semi-finals of the Champions Cup 28 years ago.
Should Manchester United overcome Antonio Oliveira's multi-national mix of Portuguese, Slavs and Brazilians a place in the final in Munich on May 28th will beckon rather more urgently. The winners of this meet Borussia Dortmund or Auxerre in the semi-finals, and on paper neither should pose as great a threat as Porto.
But first, and even before United contemplate the return leg in the Das Santas Stadium in a fortnight's time, Ferguson's players must concentrate on avoiding the lapses which this season have already seen Fenerbahce and Juventus win at Old Trafford, ending a 40-year-old unbeaten home record in Europe.
"We've found the Champions League difficult, I don't think there's any question about that," Ferguson admitted yesterday. "We have made hard work of it at times but the performance in Vienna, when we beat Rapid 2-0 to make sure of reaching the knockout stage, told me that we are learning.
"We know we're in a real ball game tomorrow." Ferguson continued. "We can't make mistakes. We'll hope to have a good attacking thrust about us but also the sort of defensive discipline that doesn't give away the sort of goals we conceded on the counterattack against Fenerbahce.
"Losing to Fenerbahce was annoying to me. Losing to Barcelona and Gothenburg two seasons ago was annoying to me because some players didn't listen. Sometimes you get so many cuts and you end up bleeding to death. At this stage we can't afford any more cuts.
"But defeat comes in different ways, Ferguson added. "Sometimes you can't find the words to say to the players because they have done so well. The Juventus game was an example of that. If we can reach a similar level of performance tomorrow I'll be a happy man, believe me.
For Ferguson and United, losing Roy Keane to an ankle injury would be the unkindest cut of all. The Republic of Ireland international is the team's principal binding force in midfield, the man most likely to stop the team becoming stretched and vulnerable to the swift breakaways which brought Porto their famous 3-2 victory in Milan last September.
Keane, who was rested against Coventry on Saturday, trained yesterday but still looked uncomfortable. "We hoped he would do better," Ferguson admitted. "He was not bad but he didn't do as well as I thought he would. l will give him every chance of getting fit but right now l would say he's doubtful."
With Nicky Butt, the most likely alternative, and Paul Scholes already ruled out, Ferguson will have a problem if Keane cannot play. Oddly enough. the knowledge that Keane will start a two-match ban in the Premier League after tonight may make it worth risking him.
The giant Brazilian striker, Jardel, will catch the eye this evening. Now is not the time for Pallister's back to start playing up again. Whether or not the exceptional pace of another Brazilian, Artur, threatens United on the flanks will depend on how tight the Porto coach wants to play it.
Certainly Ferguson will impress upon his team the importance of not conceding a goal tonight. "The name of the game in Europe now is don't let a goal in at home in the first leg," he said. "This gives you a good chance, even if the match ends 0-0."
Manchester United's best chance of winning tonight could lie with the inexperience of Hilario, Porto's 21-year-old goalkeeper, who is suspect on crosses. Anything less than a two-goal win for United will leave the tie delicately poised.
Ferguson only bridled once yesterday, and that was when someone suggested he was obsessed with winning the Champions League. "Rubbish," he retorted. "How can anyone say that with what I've achieved? I'm not going to have that as an albatross round my neck."
Yet should Porto emulate Fenerbahce and Juventus tonight the only major prize to elude Ferguson in his managerial career will again be flying beyond his reach.
