Fergie blow as Vidic ‘out for months’
Vidic immediately signalled he was in trouble after falling awkwardly following a tangle of legs with Marco Streller during the first half of the shock 2-1 defeat.
Alex Ferguson said after the game his captain had suffered ligament damage, but hoped the damage was not too serious.
However, speaking to the Italian website www.calciomercato.com, Vidic’s agent Silvano Martina delivered some devastating news.
“Unfortunately he has suffered a ruptured cruciate ligament,” said Martina.
In response to a follow-up question asking if the player would be out for several months, the agent said: “Unfortunately so, yes.”
If the worst is confirmed by Ferguson at today’s scheduled press conference to preview tomorrow’s Premier League encounter with Wolves, it would inevitably rule Vidic out for the remainder of the campaign.
The Serbian’s return from a calf problem sustained in the opening-day win at West Brom was cited by many as the moment United’s defensive difficulties began to ease.
It would certainly cause Ferguson a major headache given his other defensive stalwart, Rio Ferdinand, is rarely able to string games together due to a series of well-publicised muscular problems.
The news merely heightens the sense of disappointment felt after Wednesday’s defeat. Patrice Evra has admitted Manchester United’s players need to “look in the mirror” in the wake of their humiliating Champions League exit.
Former Red Devils skipper Roy Keane claimed the defeat to Basel was a “reality check” for the youngsters upon whom so much praise was heaped following their fine early season form.
Ferguson attempted to deflect such talk away from his players, although he did concede they would have to deal with the shattering disappointment of eviction from the tournament he rates higher than any other.
And Evra, whilst insisting he retained faith in his teammates, accepted they need to work out whether, personally, they have done enough. “We have to be honest and say we haven’t been professional from the beginning of this competition,” said the France defender.
“I don’t know why. Maybe one or two of us have to look in the mirror and say we can do a lot better than we have done. Everyone. And I am the first.”
It means instead of pondering the potential hazards posed by a second-place finish in the Champions League — including Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich — United now face into a Europa League campaign with Europe’s second tier sides.
Yet Evra is adamant United will try to win it, although their priority has to be closing the five-point gap Manchester City have opened up at the Premier League summit.
“We are Manchester United,” he said. “We won’t throw the season away. We still have things to win this season and we have to make sure we do that.
“We need to play with heart and the fans deserve more than us throwing away the Champions League and the Premier League.”
Ferguson is already steeling himself for the inevitable dissection of his squad.
He rebuffed Keane’s comments with a sideswipe about the Irishman’s own patchy managerial record, but there is much more to come as his side already starts to show the strain as they try to keep pace with their neighbours City, whose own exit from the Champions League was confirmed on Wednesday.
Yet the hopes of signing reinforcements must have been affected by the midweek defeat, which has cost United anything up to €23 million, given the Europa League offers nothing like the financial rewards of its more illustrious counterpart.
“Nights at Old Trafford under the lights with the Champions League music coming on is what you live for and now we have gone out early,” said Ferdinand, who will shoulder the bulk of defensive responsibilities now his partner Vidic has been sidelined.
“But bouncing back is what this club does. That’s what we do as players.
“We will dust ourselves off and be ready for the next game. That is what makes this club so great.
“Although we are very disappointed, we will not dwell on what’s gone on.
“We have massive games coming up and we will make sure we are in the right frame of mind to win them.”
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