The last time Manchester United were in Europe they came back with the Champions League trophy and on one of the supporters' flights home a clutch of Sir Alex Ferguson's grandchildren, aged nine and below, drew a round of applause for regaling the entire plane with a high-pitched song about the way John Terry had "slipped on his bum".
One hundred days after that epic night in Moscow it is fair to say that Ferguson and his players will be viewing tonight's European Super Cup final against Zenit St Petersburg in a very different light. Ferguson will use the game to "give some minutes" to some of the players who have yet to figure this season. One of them, Owen Hargreaves, did not bother with any superficial niceties when he was asked about the importance of the occasion, drawing on his memories of playing here for Bayern Munich against Liverpool in 2001 when the German club were beaten 3-2. "It didn't feel like a big game at the time," the England international said. "The stadium was half empty and it was a strange atmosphere around the hotel. It's just Monaco, I guess. It's a different place."
The Stade Louis II, which has hosted the event since 1998, can fit in only 18,500 supporters - fewer than could be squeezed in if the match were played at, say, Notts County or Huddersfield Town. There is, however, another piece of silverware at stake and if Ferguson can take his personal trophy count to 42, and 31 with United, the most successful manager in the business will also become the first man to win this competition three times having been successful in 1991 with United and 1983 with Aberdeen.
"The Super Cup has not always figured as the most prestigious trophy in the Uefa calendar and I must admit that at one time it did not rank all that highly for me either," said Ferguson. "But I'll tell you one thing for certain and it's that Manchester United will be giving it everything we have got."
Ferguson described Dick Advocaat's slick, fast-moving Uefa Cup holders as "one of the few teams who have four people in the penalty area every time they cross the ball".
His own team's attacking flair sets the occasion for an open, expansive match and Ferguson insisted he would not make the same mistakes as when United lost 1-0 to Sven-Goran Eriksson's Lazio
in 1999. "For some reason within the mental capacity of my mind I thought it was best to play a weakened team," he said. "There were a lot of reserves involved. When we lost I said to myself, that won't happen again." On that occasion Ferguson had prioritised a Monday-night game against Newcastle United. This time there are no distractions.
"I played in the game nine years ago," said Gary Neville, the club captain, "and, as players, we didn't realise the importance of it, to be honest. We had an important league game a few days afterwards and that was the priority. This time we haven't, so there's no excuse. It's a prestigious game and we want to win."
Ferguson will, however, make at least three changes from the side that defeated Portsmouth 1-0 at Fratton Park on Monday night. Neville will replace Wes Brown at right-back, Hargreaves will take over from Paul Scholes or Anderson in midfield and Nani, who has been serving a three-match suspension, will play on the wing. Park Ji-Sung is fit again and will be among the substitutes. "It's important that we win this game," said Ferguson, "but it's also really important for us to get some players back on the pitch."
