The Red Devils hope to taste Champions League glory for the first time since 2008.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Raphael Varane’s wealth of Champions League experience can make the difference for Manchester United, according to Bruno Fernandes.
A combined nine Champions League titles lie between the pair. Ronaldo won the competition once at Manchester United in 2008, before winning it four times at Real Madrid with Varane.
“Cristiano has won this competition many times,” Fernandes told reporters on Tuesday ahead of Wednesday’s first leg against Atletico Madrid in the last-16.
“Everyone knows in this competition he has that smell for the goal, that smell for doing different things. In the same way, we have Rapha [Raphael Varane], who has won the Champions League four times.
“Sometimes it’s about someone who has more experience, but sometimes it’s about someone doing it for the first time, because they’re hungry to do something well.”
🗣 "He has that smell for the goal, he has that smell for doing different things."
Bruno Fernandes says having the experience of Cristiano Ronaldo and Raphael Varane winning the UCL is a big advantage pic.twitter.com/giSO5XQT1V
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) February 23, 2022
Fernandes added: “They want to show it. When Cristiano won the first one, he was probably not the most influential player. There were others who had more experience, but he helped the team anyway.
“It’s all about everyone sticking together, doing the same things, having the same focus.
“Having players that can decide games for us at any moment is always helpful. If that’s Cristiano or another one, the most important thing is winning the game and going through.”
Madrid the first stop
Manchester United begin their knockout campaign in the Champions League with a trip to Spain for a first leg match against Atletico Madrid in the last 16.
The Red Devils need Ronaldo firing on all cylinders in Spain for the first leg of the last-16 tie. The bookies expect a close affair in this one. There is not much between the sides in terms of odds, with a draw looking like a tempting bet at the moment.
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