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Red Devils ready to face unknown side

Comment: 0 October 18th, 2011 by: admin

EVEN without Rio Ferdinand, Manchester United look to cruise past an unknown enemy in the Champions League on Tuesday.

The Red Devils try to nail their first win in the tournament at the expense of Otelul Galati, a Romanian side short on big-name players and which manager Alex Ferguson said he had never heard of before.

Ferdinand will be rested after seeing action the full 90 minutes against Liverpool in the Premier League last Saturday.

Despite the defender’s absence, Ferguson still enjoys a vast reservoir of star players. Captain Nemanja Vidic, has recovered from a calf injury and could be recalled along with star striker Wayne Rooney, Javier Hernandez and Nani after all three played as substitutes against the Reds.

Rooney was deleted from the starters’ list in the 1-1 draw against the Reds because Ferguson felt he was “devastated’’ by the 3-match ban in the group stage of the Euro 2012 the UEFA slapped on him for kicking a Montenegro player.

But Ferguson said Rooney is now full of energy and enthusiasm during a press conference in Bucharest.

The Red Devils are looking for victory at the Arena Nationala following two straight draws in Group C.

“We need to win both games (against Otelul) and hopefully we’ll do that,’’ said Ferguson.

Otelul, dubbed the “Steelworkers,’’ are unknown even in Romania. The team play 150 miles from home because their stadium is too small.

The only worthy news involving the squad was when their captain volunteered to cut his pay by p30 percent last year.

They made it to the Champions League after emerging surprise winners in the Romanian championships last year – their first major trophy. Their meeting with the heavily-favoured Red Devils is the biggest game in their 47-year history.

Otelul defender Sergiu Costin said they are hoping for a big result against the visitors. “Football is not mathematics. I just hope we do not make a laughing stock of ourselves.’’

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