Abby Brammell

By Matt Lawton

Premeir League's finest: Wayne Rooney


As David Beckham quite rightly said, tonight is about so much more than a romantic encounter between the most famous footballer on the planet and his first love.

It is about Manchester United proving that there is indeed life after Cristiano Ronaldo; about Milan proving that they have not become the Dad's Army of European football since the departure of the incredible Kaka; about two of the younger members of the cast proving that they should now be considered among the finest players in the world.

In one corner will stand Pato, not fully fit but a precociously gifted 20-year-old Brazilian, while in the other will stand Wayne Rooney, the snarling darling of the English game.

Comfortably the best player in the Barclays Premier League right now, Rooney has an opportunity to stake a claim for Europe too.

'He is at the highest point of his career,' said Sir Alex Ferguson before conceding that he should indeed be considered one of the finest players in the world. It was said somewhat reluctantly. 'The way you lot write about him he must be a god!'

But not even Ferguson can hide his admiration for the new talisman of the United team.

It is because of Rooney that United have evolved so successfully in the absence of Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez. Because of Rooney that they remain in a two-way fight with Chelsea for this season's Premier League title and come here to the San Siro as favourites to progress beyond this tie.

Asked which amounted to the greater loss - Ronaldo or Kaka? - Ferguson admitted it was probably the player who so impressively succeeded Beckham as United's No 7.


Precociously gifted: AC Milan's Brazil forward Alexandre Pato


'They are two great players but Ronaldo is the best in the world,' he said. 'And when you lose a great player like that there is a loss. But you have to get around that, look at your team differently. You can't complain. The club is too important to dwell on the loss of one player.


'At the same time I think the second half of the season lights up my players. It is their nature. They accept there's a big challenge and they know what's at stake. We had to improve our position with regard to Chelsea and here I think we will see that they are big-game players. I hope they are.'

Three years ago United failed that particular test, losing 3-0 in the second leg of their semi-final on a night when Ronaldo seemed to cower in the shadow of the irrepressible Kaka.

Last night Ferguson spoke of extenuating circumstances. Of a draining meeting with Everton three days earlier. Of the fresh legs that Milan had by comparison. 'This time we have fresh legs,' he said, having been able to give his players the weekend off.

Against an ageing Milan side, a rested Rooney could inflict some serious damage. Against a player who possesses so much energy, speed, skill and sheer physical strength, a 38-year-old Giuseppe Favalli and 33-year-old Alessandro Nesta could be in for a bumpy ride.

Inevitably, much of last night's media conference at San Siro was dominated by Beckham. 'Three seconds!' Ferguson said in response to the first question. 'Did you not want to build up to it?'

Ferguson did not seem overly concerned about Beckham, even if yesterday did mark the seventh anniversary of the 'flying boot'. But then he did not seem overly concerned about Milan either. He recognised the value of their experience. 'That's something you can't buy,' he said.

'They have five or six players who have won the European Cup at least once or twice and someone, in Clarence Seedorf, who has won it four times. That gives Milan a big advantage. The main advantage.'

He then qualified his verdict by recognising the superior qualities of the Inter Milan side Chelsea will meet next week. The Inter side that recently beat Milan 2-0 with 10 men under the guidance of Jose Mourinho.

'I watched the Milan derby and Inter were fantastic,' said Ferguson. 'There has been a big improvement with them and they are now a very good team.


Ones to watch: Milan stars Ronaldinho (right) and David Beckham



'You can see that from the league table. In England there is nothing between Chelsea and United. They are one point stronger but we score more goals. We have the better goal difference. But, here, I think Inter are stronger than Milan.'

United should be, too, because this is not the Milan side that followed that annihilation of United with a defeat of Liverpool in the 2007 final. They have traded down.

Carlo Ancelotti has been replaced by Leonardo, while in Kaka's place stands Ronaldinho; once the world's greatest player and now back to some kind of form, but far from the force he was, even though he has not yet turned 30.

Yesterday at his club's Milanello training ground, Beckham spoke emotively of what tonight would mean to him. He spoke of Ferguson as a 'father figure'; of the fact that, for the first time in his life, he would not be supporting United; of his intention to respond respectfully if he does score a goal.

But this is a Milan side showing all the symptoms of a disease that has spread through Italian football in the past two or three years. Sparked by financial difficulties and falling crowds, there has been a lack of ambition that is so far removed from the periods of dominance Italian football has enjoyed.

They have allowed the superstars of Serie A to leave for Spain, just as they have let great teams like Milan's slip into a gradual decline.

Ancelotti did not just move to Chelsea for the money. He left because Italy is no longer where it's at, and tonight Rooney and his United colleagues have an opportunity to hammer the message home.

source: dailymail