All eyes on Ronaldo
Inter faces tall task against Man U in Champions League
Posted: Tuesday March 16, 1999 09:59 AM
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Ronaldo has not played steadily all season due to a knee injury. AP |
ROME (Reuters) -- Seldom has so much been
expected of one player. But when Ronaldo's
faltering Inter Milan side takes on Manchester United in the
quarterfinals of the European Cup on Wednesday, he will carry his club's last hope for success this season.
Inter enters the clash laboring under a 2-0 first leg
deficit, mediocre league form and dissent in its ranks.
It was outplayed by the English league leaders at Old
Trafford two weeks ago and has done nothing in the Italian
championship to suggest it can turn the contest around.
But on Wednesday night at the San Siro, for only the second
time in 13 matches, Inter will have Ronaldo -- and possibly God
-- on its side.
The Brazilian traveled to Rome for a ceremony at the
Vatican nine days ago, sparking rumors he had sought a private
audience with the Pope to cure his long-term knee injuries.
The rumors proved unfounded but nevertheless, a week later,
the committed Roman Catholic and former World Footballer of the
Year was back in action against AC Milan.
He played adequately but not spectacularly and came off at
halftime as a precaution.
He then suffered head pains during Sunday night, prompting
Inter to whisk a doctor to his bedside. By Monday the Brazilian
said he was better and he is expected to play most if not all of
his side's biggest match of the season.
"I'm not at 100 percent and everyone knows it but I'm
getting better and I'm feeling good," Ronaldo told reporters over
the weekend. "I don't know how many minutes I'll play on
Wednesday but I'll give my all. This is the match of the year."
Ronaldo will almost certainly start in a three-pronged
attack alongside Roberto Baggio and Chile's Ivan Zamorano.
Baggio is back in the starting lineup in place of Youri
Djorkaeff, who was whistled and jeered by Inter fans in
Saturday's 2-2 draw with AC Milan.
Inter's only absentees are Brazilian midfielder Ze Elias,
who has a twisted knee, and, more importantly, Portugal's Paulo
Sousa, who has been dropped for dissent.
"We're lacking a game plan," the midfielder said after
being substituted in Saturday's derby. "It's not enough to send
11 players on to the pitch and say to them: 'play'. No one knows
what the others are doing."
Romanian coach Mircea Lucescu responded by axing Paulo Sousa
from his initial 20-man squad.
United, installed as a 9-4 favorite after its first leg
victory, says it can cope with Ronaldo's explosive talent.
"I've faced him twice before -- once when I marked him
during the Tournoi de France -- and he's a very good player,"
defender Gary Neville said.
"He's quick and very skilful. But apart from myself we also
have three other defenders who have seen what he can do and are
in form themselves at the moment.
"Jaap Stam, Ronny Johnsen and Henning Berg all came across
him in the World Cup so we have plenty of experience of the way
he plays the game."
United will exploit any lapses of discipline in Inter's
ranks and its wily coach Alex Ferguson has done his best to
goad Inter on the eve of the match.
"There will be a lot of scheming, diving and
referee-baiting from Inter. I think the Italians will go through
their whole repertoire," Ferguson said after his side's 2-1
away win over Newcastle over the weekend.
"The message we'll put across is that our players can't let
themselves down. It's a test of temperament but ability will
have a lot to do with it too and they have the ability."
United will inevitably concentrate on defense first and
attack second but is quite capable of handing Inter its first
home defeat in 36 years of European Cup football while claiming
its first Italian win in its long European history.
"We went to Barcelona and scored three, scored two in
Munich and put six past Brondby in Denmark," Ferguson said.
"Inter did not manage to score an away goal in the first
leg and they will realize how important that could be. One more
from us and that should put the tie beyond reach."
United's biggest injury worry is goalkeeper Peter
Schmeichel, who went off with flu at halftime at Newcastle.
But the big Dane is expected to last the distance to form
United's last line of defense against Inter's would-be Brazilian
savior.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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