Sports
        

Soccer

Man United wary of another German surprise package

Updated: 2011-04-26 15:28

(Agencies)

Twitter Facebook Myspace Yahoo! Linkedin Mixx

LONDON - Manchester United came unstuck the last two times they took on unfancied German rivals in the Champions League semi-finals and the twice winners are wary of a similar fate when they visit Schalke 04 in Tuesday's first leg.

Alex Ferguson's team may be favourites to progress to their third final in four years but were knocked out by Bayer Leverkusen in 2002 having been eliminated by Borussia Dortmund in 1997 at the same stage.

Related readings:
Man United wary of another German surprise package Man United, Beckham top of Forbes rich list
Man United wary of another German surprise package Torres riddle dogs Chelsea ahead of Man United trip
Man United wary of another German surprise package Fergie urges United to keep calm for title run-in
Man United wary of another German surprise package Man U squander chances in draw at Newcastle

The 1999 and 2008 champions are yet to win a two-legged knockout tie against German opposition in four attempts since the start of the Champions League in 1992, losing in the quarter-finals last season to Bayern Munich.

United are well aware of the goalscoring prowess of Spaniard Raul, now at Schalke after 16 years with Real Madrid and who scored twice at Old Trafford to send the then holders out of the 2000 competition.

Raul is the club's top scorer with five goals in this season's competition, while Mexican Javier Hernandez is United's leading marksman with four.

Despite their lowly Bundesliga position of 10th compared to United's six-point Premier League lead, Schalke are unbeaten in their last nine European games and thrashed holders Inter Milan in the quarter-finals.

The winner of the semi-final will play either Real or Barcelona in the final at London's Wembley stadium on May 28.

E-paper

War of the roses

European Chinese rose growers are beating their Chinese rivals at their own game

Preview of the coming issue
High-tech park gets big boost
At the source

European Edition

Specials

 New wave

Coastal city banks on marine sector to ride next stage of economic development

Drunk driving

Drunk drivers face a detention for one to six months and a revokation of their drivers' license.

V-Day parade

A military parade marking the 66th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi.

Sino-US Dialogue
High-tech park gets big boost
Learning to close the gap