United’s defenders lacked European experience says Ferguson

MANCHESTER UNITED need more experience in defence if they are to win the Champions League again, manager Alex Ferguson admitted yesterday.

Ferguson is desperate to repeat his 1999 success in Europe's premier club competition but he accepts that defenders like Rio Ferdinand, 24, Wes Brown, 23 and John O'Shea, 22, still have plenty to learn at the highest level.

United lost 6-5 on aggregate to Real Madrid in this season's Champions League quarter-finals and Ferguson said on his club's official website on Tuesday: "We are improving all the time and I think that the only thing we lack now is experience particularly in defence.