Rooney raring to go as Romanians present perfect place for United star to get over Euro blow

When the draw for Group C was made in August, this stood out as a good match for Wayne Rooney to miss. A cold Tuesday night in Bucharest against little-known Romanian opponents with Manchester United surely well on the way to qualifying for the knockout stages again.

What better moment to rest your star striker between league games against Liverpool and Manchester City? But while Rio Ferdinand was left in Manchester, the England striker boarded the flight very much part of Sir Alex Ferguson’s plans because United will probably need him, and Rooney certainly needs a game.

Leading from the front: Wayne Rooney is certain to feature in Romania

Ferguson believes that is the best way for Rooney to banish his demons after describing how the England striker has been affected by a three-match international ban that could keep him out of Euro 2012 next summer.

Having tried to protect Rooney by starting with him on the bench at Anfield on Saturday, the United boss realised just how much the 25-year-old wanted to play.

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‘He was desperate to get on actually, which is good because he was sat watching the game and probably said, “Christ, I could be out there”,’ revealed Ferguson. ‘When he came on he was quite bubbly. He was full of energy and enthusiasm. He’ll be playing.’

It is almost a year since news broke that Rooney had demanded to leave United. And while that tale had a happy ending, Ferguson is unsure the latest controversy will end the same way after Rooney was sent off for kicking Montenegro’s Miodrag Dzudovic.

‘I think the initial news was a definite blow,’ he added. ‘He didn’t expect that. I don’t think any of us did. It was a silly action but it wasn’t seriously dangerous.

'When he realised getting the ban meant missing all the games for England and he might not be involved at all, that resonated in Wayne’s mind. UEFA is strict in a lot of things and they’ve deemed it a three-match ban that way. I can’t say any more on that.’

That United may have to call on Rooney tonight is a sign of the predicament facing them in this season’s Champions League.

While an opening draw in Benfica was more than acceptable, another at home to Basle was not, and  Ferguson and his players make something of a journey into the unknown tonight knowing they cannot afford another slip-up against the champions of Romania.

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‘I think we have to win tomorrow,’ said Ferguson and, on paper, it does not look too difficult. Otelul lost their first two group games, and a team made up predominantly of Romanians said to be earning an average of £44,000 a year - roughly a fifth of what Rooney earns in a week - should really be no match for United.

Ferguson would have preferred to be playing in more familiar  territory, having admitted he had no idea where Galati was when the draw was made. At least the game is being staged in Bucharest’s new National Arena, rather than the steelworks city of Galati 150 miles to the east which would have made the challenge even more unpredictable.

Fewer than 3,000 Otelul fans have bought tickets for a game that is expected to draw 40,000 in the Romanian capital where United won on their only previous visit to the country, against Dinamo Bucharest in 2004.

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‘I’ll play a strong team,’ said  Ferguson, who is expected to recall captain Nemanja Vidic for his first game since suffering a calf injury on the opening day of the season.

‘We have to progress in the Champions League and then we have four or five days to recover for the Sunday game against City. The timescale for recovery is  perfect for us, and it’s the same for City.’

Otelul’s president Marius Stan has said his club’s objective is ‘simply not to end up being embarrassed’, but in Dorinel Munteanu he has a coach who upset the odds to beat England in both the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 as a player for Romania.

Even with Rooney in their ranks, United have been warned.