Red Devils would prefer to take on Serie A’s finest
Failure to beat Fenerbahce in their final group game in Istanbul on Wednesday ensured the Red Devils have a 60% chance of landing Italian opposition when the last-16 draw is made in Nyon this day week.
Juventus and AC Milan, currently first and second in the Italian league, plus sixth-placed Inter are all potential opponents, with Bayer Leverkusen and Monaco completing the quintet.
But rather than take a less troublesome route to the last eight, via Germany or France, Neville believes United would be better tackling the Italian challenge head on.
“We always like to play the big teams and they don’t come much bigger than Juventus, AC Milan and Inter,” he said. “But matches like those tend to bring out the best in us. We have been to these places before and won, so there is no reason why we can’t do it again.
“We have always thrived on challenges like that and we know to win the Champions League you have to beat the biggest teams anyway. We don’t seem to have had a really big tie for a long time but I think there is a good chance we will get one now - and that will be something for everyone to look forward to.”
Neville’s statement is backed up by recent form. While United have not met AC Milan in competitive combat since their 1969 semi-final encounter, the Red Devils have had the better of recent clashes with both Juventus and Inter.
United’s sole loss in their last six encounters with Juventus was a dead rubber in Turin seven seasons ago.
While the memory of the famous Roy Keane-inspired 3-2 semi-final win at the Stadio Delle Alpi one year later will never be forgotten, of more relevance is the 3-0 hammering United inflicted two years ago.
That victory, which saw Keane perform brilliantly at centre-half and Ryan Giggs’ devastating display of wing wizardry, remains Juventus’ biggest European defeat on home soil.
Just as AC Milan have a former Red Devil among their ranks in the towering presence of Jaap Stam, Inter in have Argentinian playmaker Juan Sebastian Veron, who disappointed in his two years at Old Trafford.
In addition, Neville also knows that so-called easier draws have caught United out before. Only 12 months ago United were defeated in a two-legged encounter with eventual winners Porto.
Neville admits the 1998 quarter-final elimination to Monaco and the semi-final exit to Bayer Leverkusen four years later will rank as two of the most worst experiences of his time at the club.
“Those defeats were big disappointments and people thought we had an easy draw when we got Porto last year and they knocked us out,” said Neville.
“It just proves what can happen. At this stage of the competition, any opponent is going to be tough. I just think it would be nice to get a really big game.”
Steven Gerrard’s wonder strike against Olympiacos not only sent Liverpool into the last 16 of the Champions League but netted the club upwards of £5million (€7.2m).
Any club which qualifies for Europe’s Elite competition is guaranteed a cash windfall but it is in the knock-out stages where the big money kicks in.
Liverpool, having already collected £12million, will now bank an extra £1.5million bonus for reaching the last 16 and they can expect a further £3.5million to come in TV revenue.
On top of this they will probably scoop close to another £1million in gate receipts and other match day takings from their guaranteed one extra home fixture.
These figures would increase considerably if Liverpool progress even further in the competition.
Reaching the quarter-finals would land another £1.5million bonus, the semi-finals £2million and the final £3million. Winning it would earn them a £5million bonus. Additional matchday takings and an increased proportion of TV income would then come on top of that.
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