Sir Alex Ferguson has suggested that he may pull a surprise or two in team selection for Manchester United against Real Madrid.
The Scot, who was at the Camp Nou this week to watch Madrid defeat Barcelona 3-1 in the second leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final, reflected on past examples of squad rotation.
This was said in anticipation for next week’s Champions League Last 16 second leg clash with Jose Mourinho’s side.
“I can make changes against Madrid, I have the squad for that. This weekend I could again make changes, so as to look even less predictable ahead of Tuesday’s clash,” Ferguson reflected to MUTV this week.
“In 1999 I left Paul Scholes out of the quarter-final against Inter Milan yet he was the one who scored the goal that got us through.
“I left him out of the semi-final because I couldn't risk him and Roy Keane together as they were both on yellow cards. He accepted it graciously, came on, got booked and missed the final anyway.
“What did he do? He didn't let it affect him. He went on to become one of the greatest players this club has ever had.
“The players sense it could be a big year for them. But at this club, in this situation, anything can happen on the run-in. Players can all of a sudden find themselves playing in a final or an important league game because that is the kind of squad I have.
“It is very difficult to rotate the squad at the moment. They all wanted to play against Real Madrid and there were a lot of disappointed players. That was fantastic. It is a measure of their own confidence in themselves.
“But we had a chat and I said at this club, in this situation, anything can happen on the run-in. Players can all of a sudden find themselves playing in a final or an important league game.”
