Manchester United arrived in Lyon at around one o´clock on Tuesday afternoon with Sir Alex Ferguson nursing an injury headache that refuses to cease in severity, at least for the time being.
United were boosted by the arrival of Gabriel Heinze last week and the return of Ruud van Nistelrooy at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday.
But hopes of a turn in fortunes were pegged back by injuries to John O´Shea, Louis Saha and Gary Neville, who is out for a month with a hairline fracture of his knee cap, prompting Ferguson to observe as the team departed for Lyon: " I´ve never started a European campaign with such a long injury list.
" We seem to take one step forward and then two back. Gabriel Heinze came in last week yet at the same time we lost Gary Neville for a month. The luck is not with us at the moment, but I guess it evens itself out over the course of the season."
With Rio Ferdinand still out through suspension, although widely tipped to make his return against Liverpool on Monday, Ferguson´s defensive options are thin on the ground as the Reds embark on their European campaign.
" We always go out to try and win the game but it is definitely important you do not concede goals away from home, that´s for sure," warned Sir Alex.
" We lost two bad goals at Bolton at the weekend, and I hope the message has got through to the players that it is very important to keep a clean sheet. It gives the team confidence to go forward.
" Every year we go into this tournament hoping and trying to win it. We´ve only managed it once so far. But we have had some fantastic nights, some great games.
" You´ll look back and say we could have won it in this year or that year, but it is always an exciting tournament.
" Lyon´s record in the domestic league is very good. During the summer they changed their team a bit and they are a much more powerful team now. We have to respect them."
Speculation in the morning papers suggested that Sir Alex was set to drop American keeper Tim Howard, but Fergie rejects the idea, saying: " That´s not the case."
The Champions League looks tighter than ever this season, and Ferguson admits he wouldn´t like to bet on anyone lifting the prestigious trophy come May next year.
" There are so many good teams. I wouldn´t put my money on anyone. Hopefully the English teams can do well; Arsenal, Chelsea and ourselves."
On a brighter note for the Reds boss, he was handed some good news on his departure for Lyon. Wayne Rooney is edging closer to a return from the foot injury that has kept him out of action since Euro 2004.
Ferguson said: " He has been training. He has stepped it up a little bit with the work he´s been doing. It´s difficult to say what the position is with the medical opinion, but he cannot be far away."
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