Champions League: Radebe hoping for all-United final

Lucas Radebe feels Leeds can send more alarm bells ringing around Europe with victory against Real Madrid.

And he is eyeing a Champions League final against Manchester United.

Leeds have stunned the football world with their passage to the quarter-finals, sending Lazio and Barcelona crashing out.

Manager David O'Leary now faces a side he virtually reveres in Real Madrid at the Bernabeu Stadium for a match which would have been unthinkable at the start of the season.

With two games still to play in Group D, Leeds and Real have already qualified for the last eight, with their encounter taking on little significance other than to determine the top two pecking order.

For the group winners, they will face a runner-up from one of the other three four-team mini-leagues, while a vice-versa scenario exists for the side finishing second, with the draw on March 16.

With Leeds having beaten AC Milan and Lazio, and having humiliated Anderlecht 4-1 a fortnight ago in Brussels to guarantee their quarter-final place, Leeds skipper Radebe is refusing to rule out the prospect of another upset against reigning champions Real.

Finishing top of the group would almost certainly mean Leeds avoiding Manchester United in the next round, opening the way towards a potential showdown in the final on May 23 in the San Siro.

It is obviously fantasy stuff, but then Leeds' continental adventure this season has been nothing short of make-believe.

"We won't be satisfied to just go out and honour this fixture," said Radebe. "We want to go out and show we can play against a team like Real and to give ourselves a chance of winning the group.

"Obviously, everyone knows about the quality they have in their side, so it will be up to us to go out there and prove we also have quality in our own side and hopefully challenge them.

"I don't see why we can't do that. The mood among the boys is good. The confidence is back and we are playing well as we have shown with our recent results against Spurs and Anderlecht and Manchester United, which have all been good for morale.

"I can imagine if we win in Madrid, against the defending champions, then a few more alarm bells will be sounding around Europe. "