Football betting: Champions League - Roma vs Man Utd

While the pre-match talk has been of a free-scoring Manchester United ahead of the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Roma, the competition's history and the importance of the match may call for a different gameplan from United boss Sir Alex Ferguson. Click here for up to £200 fre to bet on Roma vs Manchester United with Canbet As you would expect, both managers have been active this week in talking up their side's chances. Ferguson has been quick to point to the exciting nature of his attacking players and he is optimistic that this Manchester United side can emulate the Champions League-winning team of 1999. "It is going to be hard but we have the players who can make us successful in the Champions League," Ferguson said. "They are confident about expressing themselves and they enjoy playing. This is probably my best squad ever in terms of completeness. The one things these lads have is the quality to play on the big occasion. In that sense, it is like 1999. "They are very confident - Nani, [Cristiano] Ronaldo, Anderson, [Wayne] Rooney. It gives you hope they can handle big occasions like that. You want to see them express themselves and be fearless. I am not slightly worried about their temperament." Manchester United beat Roma 8-3 on aggregate in the Champions League quarter-finals last season, with a 7-1 thrashing of the Italians coming at Old Trafford. However that result came on the back of a 2-1 defeat in Rome in the first leg and Champions League statistics bear out the fact that away sides struggle at this stage of the tournament. Since the quarter-final stage was reinstated in 1995 there have been 52 games and only on four occasions have the matches been won by the away side. Compare that to the 27 won by the home side and you would feel that Roma's chances at the Olympic Stadium are very strong. However they are without top-scorer Francesco Totti and while they lie second in Serie A they will be wary of staying in the tie rather than losing it at this stage. In fact coach Luciano Spalletti admitted as much this week: "Last time I gave Ferguson some great wine as a gift, but this time there will be no wine and no gifts - on the field or off the field," he said. "We gave them seven last time and there can be no repeat. They are fantastic at Old Trafford as they showed against us last year, but they are not quite the same away from home." The sides drew 1-1 in Rome earlier in the season in the group stages, and it looks like being more of the same tonight in the quarter-final as Manchester United have found goals in the Champions League hard to come by. The 3.0 on offer with Canbet for the draw looks the night's soundest bet. Verdict: 2pts draw @ 3.0 (Canbet) Click here for up to £200 fre to bet on Roma vs Manchester United with Canbet