CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTER-FINAL FIRST LEG
Venue: Stadio Olimpico.
Date: Tuesday, 1 April.
Kick-off: 1945 BST.
Roma skipper Francesco Totti has been ruled out of Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg after suffering a thigh injury on Saturday.
Totti, Roma's top scorer with 14 goals, is set to be replaced by Mirko Vucinic.
Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar looks set to return to the side after missing the 4-0 win over Aston Villa with a groin injury.
Mikael Silvestre has overcome a knee ligament injury, but Nani and Louis Saha are both ruled out by injury.
French defender Silvestre has not played since suffering the injury against Everton in September.
His return boosts Sir Alex Ferguson's squad after Patrice Evra, Rio Ferdinand, Michael Carrick and Ryan Giggs complained of knocks after Saturday's emphatic win over Villa.
Totti suffered his injury in Saturday's 1-1 Serie A draw at Cagliari but hopes to return for the second leg at Old Trafford.
In his absence, Roma will look to Vucinic, who has scored four goals in the Champions League this season and was rested for the match against Cagliari.
Central defender Juan has a foot problem so Christian Panucci looks set to cover with MarcoCassetti, Max Tonetto and Cicinho battling for his right-back slot.
The two sides met twice last season at the same stage of the competition, with Roma winning 2-1 in Italy before suffering a humiliating 7-1 thrashing in Manchester.
They have already played twice in this season's group stage, United winning 1-0 at home before the teams drew 1-1 in Rome.
The matches have been marred by violence between supporters and both clubs have been working on ways to avoid further problems.
Italian authorities are providing free transport to the stadium for United fans in a bid to keep them away from any possible trouble.
They have also introduced a voucher system for ticket collection in a bid to stop touts.
Man Utd (from): Van der Sar, Evra, Hargreaves, Ferdinand, Brown, Ronaldo, Anderson, Rooney, Giggs, Park, Vidic, Carrick, Scholes, Pique, O'Shea, Silvestre, Kuszczak, Tevez, Eagles, Heaton, Welbeck.
BIG MATCH STATS
Head-to-heads
AS Roma and Manchester United have met four times before in European competition.
Last season, on 4 April 2007, AS Roma won 2-1 at home in the CL quarter-finals, but Manchester United recorded an emphatic 7-1 victory at Old Trafford six days later, to progress to the semi-finals. It was AS Roma's heaviest ever European defeat and the biggest ever victory margin in the CL knock-out stages.
In this season's group phase, the Red Devils beat the Italians 1-0 at the Theatre of Dreams on 2 October, through a Wayne Rooney goal in the 70th minute. The return match in Rome on 12 December, ended 1-1 through goals by Gerard Pique and Alessandro Mancini.
European history
In the 1960-61 season, AS Roma won the Fairs Cup, their only piece of European silverware. They have also reached two other European finals; the 1983-84 Champions Cup final, which they lost on penalties to Liverpool, and the 1990-91 Uefa Cup final, which they lost 2-1 on aggregate to Internazionale. Roma have never reached the semi-final stage of the CL in their history.
Manchester United have won three European trophies - the 1967-68 Champions Cup, 1990-91 Cup Winners' Cup and 1998-99 Champions League. Last season, after knocking out AS Roma 8-3 on aggregate in the CL quarter-finals, United were eliminated themselves by AC Milan in the last four, losing 5-3 on aggregate.
Current European form
AS Roma have not lost any of their last six Champions League matches and are undefeated at home in nine in this competition.
Manchester United are unbeaten in eight Champions League matches, since the 3-0 loss to AC Milan in last May's semi-final second leg in Italy. United are one of three unbeaten teams in this season's Champions League. Chelsea and FC Barcelona are the others.
Player and disciplinary info
Simone Perrotta (AS Roma) is suspended for this match. Mirko Vucinic, Marco Cassetti, Cicinho, Daniele De Rossi and Max Tonetto (AS Roma) are all one yellow card away from suspension. Nani and Patrice Evra (Manchester United) will also be suspended upon receiving a yellow card.
Francesco Totti has made more appearances (36) and scored more goals (11) than any other AS Roma player in Champions League history. Vucinic leads Roma goalscorers in this season's Champions League campaign, with four.
David Pizarro and Daniele De Rossi are the only AS Roma players to have appeared in all eight of their club's CL matches this season.
Portuguese defender Antunes (Roma) celebrates his 21st birthday on the day of the match.
Cristiano Ronaldo is joint top scorer in this season's Champions League having netted six goals.
Rio Ferdinand will play his 50th Champions League match if selected. Ferdinand made his competition debut on 13 February 2001, for Leeds United against Anderlecht (2-1).
Nani is the only Manchester United player to have appeared in all eight of his club's CL matches this season.
Other miscellaneous facts
AS Roma drew 1-1 at Cagliari on Saturday with Francesco Totti scoring. Roma are second in Serie A, trailing leaders Inter Milan by four points.
Manchester United beat Aston Villa 4-0 in the Premier League on Saturday, and top the table, five points clear of Chelsea.
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