If ever there was an occasion for Manchester United to rediscover the knack of beating German opposition at home, it is surely tonight's match at Old Trafford.
Bayer Leverkusen, Liverpool's conquerors in the quarter-finals, stand between United and the final at Hampden Park on May 15th, and United have not defeated a German side in Europe in front of their own supporters since Vorwarts of Berlin lost 3-1 in Manchester in the 1965-66 season.
There could be no better scenario for Alex Ferguson than to return to the city of his birth in an attempt to win his second European Cup. But United's progress to the final in Glasgow will become a probability only if they win the opening leg of their semi-final by at least two goals.
United should be experienced enough by now to know the tripwires that so often accompany encounters with German sides. Three years ago they appeared to lay the German bogy when Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer won a famous victory against Bayern Munich in stoppage-time of the 1999 final in Barcelona.
Since then, however, United have been knocked out in last season's quarter-finals by Bayern and shared two draws with them in the second round of the present tournament. And Ferguson will not have forgotten the disappointment of losing twice to Borussia Dortmund in the semis five years ago.
At first glance, United appear ill-equipped to see off a Leverkusen side fresh from inflicting severe damage to Liverpool's defence.
Roy Keane will not be there to track Michael Ballack, the principal reason why Bayer won their quarter-final 4-3 on aggregate, and all that David Beckham's gifted right foot can do at present is support his broken left.
Add to that the loss of Ronny Johnsen at centre back and a certain levity in Leverkusen's step tonight might be forgiven.
Yet, it is this kind of situation which is apt to bring out one of United's most important strengths, namely the ability of their players not only to do one another's jobs but to do so with distinction.
Nicky Butt, sometimes Keane's midfield partner but now his stand-in, is a prime example of this. Since the United captain tore a hamstring in Coruna during the first leg of the quarter-final against Deportivo, Butt has held the heart of the side together.
"Nicky Butt has been absolutely first class," Ferguson said yesterday. Butt, with Paul Scholes, is fundamental to the task of stopping Ballack, Ze Roberto and Yildiray Basturk getting hold of the game.
Leverkusen lies just north of Cologne and was born out of the pharmaceutical industry. The chemistry of the team's football varies between bubbling optimism and smoggy uncertainty, but Ferguson has noted that even when they lost 4-1 to Arsenal in the second phase they still demonstrated strong attacking potential.
"They're a very positive team," he said yesterday. "They're not afraid to take chances by attacking with six or seven players."
Klaus Toppmoller's side, then, may be prepared to take more risks than Bayern Munich are wont to do in away legs.
At the same time, the Leverkusen coach will probably go about tonight's business much as he did at Anfield three weeks ago, leaving the lanky Bulgarian striker Dimitar Berbatov up front while attempting to ensnare the opposition in a five-man midfield.
Ferguson is expected to make only one change to the United team that won so impressively 3-0 at Chelsea on Saturday, replacing Quinton Fortune with Juan Sebastian Veron.
"We're playing a very good team," Ferguson conceded before adding, ominously: "But they're playing a good team, too."
MANCHESTER UNITED (probable, 4-4-2): Barthez; G Neville, Blanc, Brown, Silvestre; Veron, Butt, Scholes, Solskjaer; Giggs, Van Nistelrooy.
BAYER LEVERKUSEN (4-1-4-1): Butt; Schneider, Nowotny, Lucio, Placente; Ramelow; Sebescen (or Zivkovic), Ballack, Basturk, Ze Roberto; Berbatov.
Referee: L Michel (Slovakia).
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