This week sees the return of the Champions League and that means that the King of the mind games, Sir Alex Ferguson is working over time in the build up to Man United’s tie against AC Milan, United head to the San Siro on Tuesday night for the first leg of the last 16 match in one of the most hotly anticipated matches of the season. There are a number of factors making this a potential classic and Ferguson has been cranking up the pressure for a while now on his opponents who will have David Beckham in their side, Beckham will be facing his old club and Manager for the first time since leaving Old Trafford in 2003 and their betting around the match is going crazy.

Beckham is the name dominating all the pre match build up but as usual Ferguson is trying to deflect the heat from his team by telling his players ‘to ignore the Beckham circus’, this is classic mind games from the United boss as he tries to play down the speculation that is inevitable given the way that Beckham left United. Ferguson knows that Milan have a relatively inexperienced Manager in Leonardo and will be hoping that Milan fall apart under the weight of expectation on Tuesday night, and if he can aid that process he will be more than happy to help out. Ferguson heads to Milan with a few injury problems though with the likes of Giggs and Vidic missing from the squad and he will be delighted to head home for the second leg with a draw under his belt against one of the most decorated teams in Europe.

Milan are the seven times European Champions including in 2007 and they possess a very experienced squad despite perhaps not being quite as strong as they were when they last won the European Cup against Liverpool, Ferguson will not be taking the tie lightly but they are the favourites to progress through to the last eight. Ferguson has spoken of his relief in a tongue in cheek fashion at having plenty of preparation time for the match having been knocked out of the FA Cup recently, that meant they had a clear weekend which they could prove vital on Tuesday and ahead of a tough run-in. Ferguson is the master of the mind games and he has been up to his old tricks once again in the build up to this one and it remains to be seen if this will have any affect on the result as United look to improve on the last time they played Milan, in 2007 United headed to the San Siro for a Semi-Final match only to be promptly blown away 3-0 and they will be wary of a repeat in 2010.

Ferguson was also the man that made sure David Beckham left Old Trafford in 2003 and he will be hoping that decision does not come back to bite him on the bum in 2010, Becks is looking as fit as ever with Milan this season and he will be despearte to put one over his former boss and knock them out of the Champions League.

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