Neville has ‘sneaking feeling’ about Real draw

PHIL NEVILLE does not want to land Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final draw in Nyon today — but the England midfielder has a sneaking suspicion his side will face the nine-times winners.

The Spanish giants are one of three possible last-eight opponents for United, who are hoping to win the trophy for the third time in May's Old Trafford final. Inter Milan and Ajax were confirmed as the other options after Wednesday night's final round of second group matches, with the Dutch outsiders probably the least difficult option for Alex Ferguson's men in the strongest quarter-final line-up in the tournament's history with the competing clubs accounting for 25 victories in the competition overall. United have met all three sides in previous European campaigns and emerged victorious from their only meetings with Inter in the 1999 quarter-finals and Ajax, in a 1976 UEFA Cup first-round tie.

However, it is the prospect of a glamour tie with Real which really whets the appetite, probably the two most famous clubs on the planet going head-to-head for a place in the last four. "We would prefer to leave them until later in the competition but I have a sneaking feeling we will get them," Neville said.