Scholes dismisses fears over booking

Paul Scholes will not allow the prospect of missing a second Champions League final to affect his performance in Milan tomorrow night.

Like his former team-mate Roy Keane, Scholes was sitting in the Nou Camp stands on the night Manchester United became champions of Europe in such thrilling fashion against Bayern Munich in 1999, a legacy of a needless booking picked up for dissent in the semi-final win over Juventus.

Eight years on and Scholes will head to Italy this week once again walking a disciplinary tightrope, knowing a yellow card will prevent him from appearing on the greatest stage the European club game has to offer should United preserve their 3-2 first-leg lead at San Siro.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Gabriel Heinze are in the same position. But, while it would be fair to wonder whether that pair's mindset might be affected by potentially missing out on the biggest club game of their lives, there are no such fears over Scholes.

"I won't let the bookings situation bother me," he said. "It is just another game and another chance to get to a Champions League final."

Scholes assesses the situation confronting him with a refreshing lack of sentimentality. "I don't think of it being more important to get through because of what happened to me last time," he said. "It is a major tournament, one that every team in Europe wants to be involved in. It still feels the same as the semi-final was in 1999. We all want to get there and we all want to win it if we do."

A more pertinent point, although one that almost certainly escapes the Scholes radar as well is that, at 32, time is running out for one of the finest English players of his generation to make an indelible mark on the wider game.

Six times a Premiership winner already, Scholes was a major influence behind the remarkable win at Everton on Saturday that will almost certainly ensure he finishes the season with a seventh championship medal in his pocket.

The England coach, Steve McClaren, still shakes his head with disbelief and frustration at Scholes' refusal to consider a return to the international scene. That means any future success the Salford-born player enjoys will be exclusively at club level, and - barring any late transfer to his beloved Oldham - with United.

Scholes is not the type to start making any bold statements about what United will achieve in Milan but he does recognise a couple of positive signs. Seven of the XI which started in San Siro when United were beaten by the same opponents in the first knockout round two years ago are likely to be in Sir Alex Ferguson's side this week. Crucially, as well as Scholes and fellow veteran Ryan Giggs, the number includes the precocious youngsters, Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney.

And, while a repeat of the 1-0 defeat United suffered then would see Milan through, Scholes is hopeful of a more positive outcome. "It will help having been there before," he said. "We know what we are facing. What happened a couple of years ago was a big disappointment. But the likes of Ronaldo and Rooney are a couple of years older now."

Ferguson is likely to stick to his attacking philosophy as doubts persist over his defence. First-choice central defensive partners Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic could be involved but neither can be assured of full match fitness.

Vidic, in particular, can hardly be expected to reach his peak given he has not played since dislocating his collarbone against Blackburn at the end of last month. The results of a scan the Serbian is due to have on the injury will determine whether he travels with the United squad, with Ferguson declaring "we will have a decision to make", if the news is positive.