‘Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is to receive a
special award from UEFA for becoming the first to take
charge of 100 Champions League ties.
‘United's game against FC Porto will take the Scot to the Champions
League century, 11 years after the club's debut in the
revamped European Cup, a 3-2 victory away to Kispest Honved.
‘It took Ferguson and United a while to adapt to the demands of the
Champions League - they went out to Galatasaray in the
second round in 1993-94 on the away goals rule. The
following season, successive away defeats against Barcelona
and IFK Gothenburg proved costly and United did not progress
from Group A.
‘After a one-year absence they returned to the Champions League and
reached the semi-finals, losing to eventual winners Borussia
Dortmund. Since then United have reached at least the
quarter-finals every season. In 1999, the Old Trafford club
completed a historic treble with a 2-1 victory over Bayern
Munich in the Champions League final.
‘Ferguson is likely to receive his award before the return leg
against Porto at Old Trafford on March 9, when he hopes his
101st Champions League match will secure United's place in
the quarter-finals for the eighth consecutive season.’