Keane focus on United's 'biggest challenge'

As they searched for sleep in the early hours of yesterday morning, during the flight back from Madrid, Manchester United's players encountered a rare sense of inadequacy.

This painful sensation was unavoidable after the way Real Madrid outclassed them in the Santiago Bernabeu stadium on Tuesday.

In public United's players admitted no such self-doubt. There was respect, admiration even for Real, but the European Cup quarter-final second leg was seen as an opportunity, not an ordeal. It had to be so. Over the next 13 days United must, and will, convince themselves they have a chance.

"The fight we produced after half-time gives us some heart for the second leg," said Gary Neville. "Looking at the chances we created, we are confident we can do well at Old Trafford."

"There is no doubt it's the biggest challenge this team will ever face," said Roy Keane. "With the fans behind us we'll see what happens. It's going to be a tough match for them at Old Trafford. If they are going to go through, they will have to battle for it."

Only once in the 10 previous seasons of the Champions' League have a club overturned a two-goal first-leg deficit in the knock-out stages. That was Barcelona against Chelsea in 2000. They, too, went three goals down away from home in the first game before stealing what proved far more than a consolation. That Barcelona's scorer at Stamford Bridge was Luis Figo means at least one Real player will be aware of the possibilities.

Not that Figo alone knows the history. "We deserved the win but the result is not definitive," Raul said. "It was a shame that we let them score."

Few who saw the first leg will back against Real. Neville added: "It was breathtaking in the first half and sometimes you have to admire it. They played such wonderful football. It was like facing the Harlem Globetrotters. They were passing it about and we couldn't get near them."

Neville will be suspended for the 23 April return but while John O'Shea's progress means his absence can be covered a similar ban for Paul Scholes is more problematic. "He is a loss and we hope Juan Sebastian Veron will be fit," United's manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, said. He will take hope from the knowledge that, if Real have a vulnerability, it is defensive. In 13 European games this season they have conceded 14 goals, adding to the local belief that their next big signing should be a defender, not least because Fernando Hierro's illustrious career is nearing a conclusion.

As the 35-year-old showed on Tuesday, he will be hard to replace. While Sol Campbell, despite his limited technique, and Rio Ferdinand are possible targets, Lucio, Bayer Leverkusen's ball-playing Brazilian, would better fit Real's style, though they may move for Fabio Cannavaro.

For commercial reasons, the Real coach, Vicente Del Bosque, is more likely to end up with David Beckham. While the England captain's performance did little to suggest he would be a valuable playing addition, Florentino Perez, Real's president, will have noticed one significant aspect of the evening. Whenever Beckham went to take a corner a battery of flashbulbs illuminated him. The people taking these photographs were not United fans, but Real's.

As for England's current resident in Madrid, Steve McManaman, he may be heading to Manchester, but not to United. The former England winger is careful not to say anything which may jeopardise his diminishing chances of playing but he admitted it would be "very, very difficult" to cope with another season on the fringe. He added: "Of course I want to play more often, every footballer wants to play all the time and I'm no different. I'm not saying I'm going to do this and do that now but I couldn't go through it again."

Since McManaman has 15 months on his contract the most likely scenario is that he will be paid off or, more probably, Real will subsidise a one-year loan, as with Ivan Campo's move to Bolton. Manchester City, having money to burn, Kevin Keegan as manager, and Robbie Fowler in the dressing-room, is the anticipated destination if McManaman returns to England; but do not rule out Real Mallorca. McManaman loves Majorca so much he was married on the island and is having a house built there.