Robson aims to exorcise his demons

BOBBY ROBSON admits a shiver will run down his spine when he returns for the first time to the scene of his biggest footballing disappointment tonight.

A little more than 12 years ago, the then England boss saw his dreams of World Cup glory torn apart at the semi-final stage in a dramatic penalty shoot-out at the Stadio delle Alpi as Germany edged past his brave troops in the cruellest of fashions.

The pain of that fateful evening in Italy when Stuart Pearce and Chris Waddle suffered the devastation of missing from the spot may have subsided , but the memory remains etched on the mind of the 69-year-old Pearce got his chance to exorcise the demon with his Euro 96 shoot-out heroics; Robson's opportunity comes, perhaps fittingly, as he returns to Turin hoping to unseat the mighty Juventus and bank Newcastle's first points in their latest Champions League campaign.

"We went there once and it was a semi-final and a packed house and there was so much at stake, such a lot to play for," he said.

"It just didn't quite go our way because we didn't get the result we deserved. But I'm over that now, although I'll never forget it. I loved it. I just had an unfortunate day, but I shall always remember it. It will be nice to go back again and see it.

"These are different circumstances, but it's a very important game, almost as large, I think. That was an international match, the World Cup. This is different, but I'm looking forward to going back."

The fact that he did not take England to the World Cup final during his eight-year reign remains Robson's most enduring regret, but a positive result for Newcastle in Italy after successive Group E defeats by Dynamo Kiev and Feyenoord would provide the ideal antidote.

United are Champions League novices, and although they are determined to make the most of their new adventure, the manager is adamant that the main focus is the task of making sure that they are in the running for a return trip every season "It's the bread and butter, it's the reputation of Newcastle as a Premiership club, and having got to where we are, we need to be very much in that top section looking to get into Europe every year now," he said.

"We've tasted it and we like it, and it won't be easy to always achieve it because everybody wants the same situation as us, everybody has the same desire. Aston Villa, Manchester City and Tottenham, they all want to be where we are as well as the ones who are, but the league is very important."

United head for the Stadio delle Alpi fully aware that their hopes of reaching the second phase of the competition will be minimal if they lose to the Italian champions, who staged a remarkable fight back to snatch a 2-2 draw from the jaws of defeat at home to Parma on Saturday.

But goalkeeper Shay Given insists they will not be frightened by the task of locking horns with a side which put five past Kiev last Tuesday night.

"The pressure is on We know we need the points. I suppose we'll be underdogs because our first two results haven't been great, so hopefully that will go in our favour.

"We know we've got to get something from the game or else our chances of going into the next phase are slim to none, so it's a massive game.

"They've got some brilliant players, but I'm not fazed by it at all. I'm looking forward to it and I'll give it a good shot and do my best. As a player and a professional, you set out to play against the best players in the world I don't think it's daunting at all, I think it's good to test yourself against these top players."

One man who will not get a chance to measure himself against Marcello Lippi's all-stars is United striker Craig Bellamy, who starts a three-match ban for his indiscretion in Kiev, although Robson otherwise has no selection problems.