Crocked: Wayne RooneyThe manager last week predicted Rooney would be out for two to three weeks, but now believes his star man could be on the bench for the match at Blackburn on Sunday.
Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed he won't risk Wayne Rooney for Manchester United's Champions League quarter-final second leg showdown against Bayern Munich.
The striker is desperate to play just eight days after damaging ankle-ligament damage during the 2-1 first-leg defeat in Germany, but the 24-year-old was unable to train with team-mates at Carrington on Tuesday morning despite responding well to treatment.
'He's got no chance,' admitted Ferguson. 'We've made some good progress with the lad, the medical team have done fantastic, but I'm not prepared to take a risk on a player who is not 100 per cent fit.'
'The boy is making good progress,' said the Scot. 'The medical team have done a fantastic job but it is an ankle injury the same as any other ankle injury.'You can't take a risk with a player who is not 100 per cent.'
Rooney's efforts to talk the boss into risking him on Wednesday look destined to fail, with Ferguson adding: 'I don't think he will be on the bench although he might talk me into it. It is a difficult one.'
It is not just United who rely on the prolific goalscorer and England boss Fabio Capello is understood to have been reassured that United would not gamble with the 24-year-old's fitness.
In the running: United captain Rio Ferdinand leads his team-mates in training - but Rooney was nowhere to be seen at CarringtonThere were fears that a rushed return would risk aggravating the problem with two months to go until the World Cup kicks off in South Africa.
However, sources close to Capello insist the England manager is confident that United will not take any chances on Rooney if there is any threat to his long-term fitness.
Although England matters are not Ferguson’s priority, the manager does not want to lose his 34-goal top scorer for the rest of the season as United chase another title and glory in Europe.
It now appears that Dimitar Berbatov will the attack once again, four days after struggling to make an impression in Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at home by Chelsea
Relaxed: Ferguson shows little sign of concern at CarringtonFerguson has been talking up the return of Federico Macheda but he is unlikely to start, having only been pain-free from a calf injury for the last two weeks.
John O'Shea, who has been out since November with a thigh injury, was part of the 21-man training session at Carrington.
Captain Gary Neville is confident United can turn the tie around and move a step closer to their third successive Champions League final.
He said: ‘To lose to Bayern in the last minute was disappointing, as was getting Rooney injured. Our away performances in Europe over the past 12 to 18 months have been far superior to that one.
Confident: Gary Neville 'We have the away goal and 2-1 away from home in the Champions League is not the worst result in the world. We have the confidence of playing at home and having a great record in Europe at Old Trafford.
‘I could point towards a similar situation against Manchester City in the Carling Cup semi-final earlier this season when we lost 2-1 in the first leg but got the result we needed in the second leg.’
Bayern have injury worries of their own and will give winger Arjen Robben and defender Daniel van Buyten as long as possible to prove their fitness.
Former Chelsea winger Robben missed the first leg and Saturday’s win over Schalke with a calf strain but manager Louis van Gaal believes he has an outside chance of facing United.
He said: ‘I have hopes he’ll be able to play, but we’ll have to wait and see because his muscles are still strained.’
Van Buyten is a bigger doubt after injuring his left knee in a collision with Schalke’s Jefferson Farfan on Saturday.
If the Belgian defender fails to recover in time then Diego Contento will come in at left back with Holger Badstuber taking Van Buyten’s place in central defence.
Bastian Schweinsteiger is certain to return in midfield after missing the first leg through suspension.
source :dailymail
