Man Utd defender Heinze is playing for all the marbles

	In his three seasons at Manchester United, Gabriel Heinze has become one of the most successful Argentines to play in England. Icon Sport/WireImage.com
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If any Manchester United team in recent years has what it takes to win the club's first major trophy since 2004, this year's edition is it.

The Red Devils have been sensational, and everything seems to indicate that they could repeat the achievements of the most successful season in club history: the '98-99 season treble of the English Premier League title, the Champions League title and the FA Cup. That squad had enormous depth -- as does this season's team, which means England and the rest of Europe should take them very seriously.

Man Utd's biggest test of the season comes on Wednesday, when it travels to the Stadio Olimpico to face AS Roma in the first leg of its UEFA Champions League quarterfinal matchup.

That game will make a huge impact on the remainder of the season, as Argentine left back Gabriel Heinze explained to me days before the vital clash. The former United player of the year is a top target of many of Europe's other big clubs, but if he moves on at the end of the season, the 28-year-old is hoping to leave Old Trafford with a Champions League title.

SI.com: What are you expecting from Roma?

Heinze: We can expect anything -- they're in the quarterfinals for a reason. I think the odds are 50-50, because Roma is a good team, and they will try to make life difficult for us. The match itself will be highly disputed and played very aggressively. I think it is up to Manchester United to pick up a positive result in Rome, so that it can then decide the series at Old Trafford.

SI.com: Man Utd is still on track for the treble. What has the club done differently compared to the last couple of seasons?

Heinze: I think it has a lot to do with the quality of the youngsters in the squad. The mixture between the young and the more experienced has made the team very strong, and has created a great atmosphere within the group. The quality of the squad is amazing, and that is why we are doing well in the Champions League. But our objective is to win all three competitions.

SI.com: Cristiano Ronaldo has been unstoppable this season. Are things made easier with him on the field?

Heinze: He is an outstanding player and can change the course of a game in an instant. I'm not sure if it is any easier with him on the field, but we know that Cristiano is capable of deciding a match.

SI.com: You made a huge impact on the Premiership in '04-05, your first season in England, when you were voted player of the year by your fellow players and United fans. That same year, you were also voted the best-ever defender in the history of Paris Saint-Germain. How did those achievements make you feel?

Heinze: It's something that I take with great pride, because it's not easy to achieve -- especially for a foreigner, as both the English and French leagues are very competitive. I will be grateful for all the support I received at PSG and Manchester United for my entire life. I do appreciate this and feel obligated to give my maximum when I play for the club.

SI.com: What has been your most important achievement as a player?

Heinze: I think the most important thing is to continue to play for a big club, and to keep on playing soccer at the highest level. I don't think it's only about titles, I feel it's more about keeping motivated. I play for a big club and I'm part of the Argentine national team, and for me that's most important.

SI.com: It has been difficult for South American players to settle in the Premiership in the past, but in fact you had no problems adapting. What did you do differently?

Heinze: It isn't easy, and it wasn't easy for me. I think it depends a lot on the club, the manager and your teammates. In that sense I thank God for having a good coach [Alex Ferguson] that had confidence in me, and to the players that immediately made me feel part of the team. I think that was fundamental for my success, and feel that in the long run, South Americans can adapt to any league in any country. But every player needs time.

SI.com: You emerged from the youth system at Newell's Old Boys, which has also produced other Argentine stars such as Lionel Messi, Walter Samuel, Santiago Solari and Maxi Rodríguez. What is it about Newell's youth system that makes it so effective?

Heinze: Back then, Jorge Griffa was in charge of the club's youth system. He was a former player in Europe, and I think he was one of the best youth developers around. The academy was very effective. The reason is that it had a great team of former players that coached the kids. They taught us all kinds of things, including how to develop as a person. I think this is why so many players were formed at that time. Unfortunately, it doesn't exist anymore and things have changed. I think it was one of the best soccer academies in South America.

SI.com: Argentina was eliminated from last year's World Cup in the cruelest of circumstances, after a penalty shootout defeat to Germany in the quarterfinals. What can we expect from Alfio Basile's side at June's Copa América in Venezuela?

Heinze: As you said, there is a new manager and he has his own style. Argentina's objective is to be the champion, nothing less. Argentina needs to win a title, period. Our main objective is to play very good soccer at the Copa América and finish as the champions.

SI.com: Juventus appears to be leading Real Madrid and Inter Milan in the race to sign you for next season. Are you interested in moving to one of these clubs, or would you prefer to continue at Manchester United?

Heinze: I always have the same answer. All I want to do is to play soccer. I know that there's interest from other big clubs that want me and I am very grateful and proud of this. But from now to the end of the season, I will keep doing my best for Manchester United. But at the end of the season, I will sit down to discuss my future and our season objectives. For now I'm only thinking about Manchester United.