Sir Alex Ferguson is, of course, highly unlikely to have to call on Italian teenagers Federico Macheda and Davide Petrucci against Inter Milan in the last 16 or any possible future opponents.
But the pair have made such an impact in the Reds' youth squad and reserves that the United boss is plotting the same learning curve for the two imports that he gave to Mancunian Danny Welbeck 12 months ago.
Welbeck was slowly introduced to United's first team training last season then fast-tracked to Fergie's official Champions League squad.
Though the 17-year-old didn't appear in any European game, he was on the bench for the quarter-final and semi-final Old Trafford second legs against Roma and Barcelona.
And he will be pictured forever among the celebrations with the European Cup after the Moscow final in the Luzhniki Stadium last May.
Priceless
It was a priceless part of Welbeck's soccer education and now Macheda and Petrucci are set for the same treatment.
The 17-year-olds were both born in Rome and striker Macheda (who has been given squad No. 41) was snapped up from Lazio's youth system in September 2007.
Goalscoring midfielder Petrucci followed his compatriot a year later to England having been captured from Roma.
Their impact has been so swift they've developed from United's Academy into the reserves and now have been advanced to training sessions with Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Co.
Fergie says in these kinds of cases, like Welbeck's, Rafael and Fabio Da Silva's promotion to the first team scene, there is no decision to be made.
"Young players tell you more than you need to make decisions," he said.
"Performances have you looking at things differently. Performance levels make you sit up and see who is above the rest.
"Then you have them in the first team squad training immediately to see how they do. Danny Welbeck has made the transition. That is the way we do it." Along with youth team boss Paul McGuinness and his staff, reserve boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his team have watched the impressive progress of Macheda and Petrucci and marked Fergie's card.
Education
Red legend Solskjaer told M.E.N. Sport: "They've worked hard, listened and learned and we rate these lads.
"They have learned the Manchester United way and got a very good education. It is exciting times for them and this is confirmation of the progress they have made. It is a sign we believe in them and now you are asking the question of them, can they make the next level?
"Macheda is a big talent. He has the ability and can score goals. It is not easy to leave your home country at 16 and come to a new culture. It takes time to settle down. But he signed pro in August last year and has buckled down and got a professional head on him. We expected him to make progress and he has. He is a big, young lad and has good technique and is quick.
"He scored goals for the Under-18s but unfortunately because we have struggled with forwards in the reserves he has had to play up front a lot on his own.
"But it is all a part of the learning curve for him. He is hungry to improve.
"You see him when he has come back from training sessions with the seniors and he wants more because he has learned so much. When you are in and around the likes of Dimitar Berbatov, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez you have to look, listen and learn. He's picked up on things like movement. If you do that you cannot fail to make progress.
Beneficial
"Being with them tells him he is getting closer."
Petrucci (he has been awarded the No. 43 senior jersey) has formed a link with Macheda that has proved beneficial.
"Firstly it starts with an off-the-field friendship," Ole added.
"Obviously both coming from Rome they are drawn to each other anyway but on the field they have hit it off as well. They have created a great understanding.
"Davide is a No.10 because he plays behind the striker and can also play in midfield. They bounce off each other and look for each other in matches. Sometimes partnerships like that just happen. Like Federico, Davide took his time to adapt. It takes six months to get used to United's intense training. But he has found his feet.
"He is technically and tactically very gifted. He scores some great free kicks and goals. He scores the kind of goals you would put on a DVD because he is capable of the spectacular.
"It is great this chance they are getting to witness and take part in first-team training and be involved on European trips because not only does it hopefully motivate them but it will inspire all the other young lads as well.
"They have all been told that age doesn't matter at this club, it is all about performances, but seeing other youngsters getting this opportunity is more evidence of that."
UNITED'S 30-strong Champions League squad for the remainder of the season is: Van der Sar, Foster, Kuszczak, Amos, Neville, Evra, Ferdinand, Brown, Vidic, Evans, Fabio, Rafael, O'Shea, Eckersley, Anderson, Giggs, Park, Carrick, Nani, Scholes, Fletcher, Possebon, Petrucci, Gibson, Ronaldo, Berbatov, Rooney, Tevez, Macheda, Welbeck.
What do you think? Have your say.
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This is just one of the things that seperates us from everybody else...our training path "The Manchester United Way", one of real honour and never settling. Ok, other teams have their youth teams etc. But I've seen some of these younger players play and I'm blown away by some of them.
Some happy times ahead for the Reds.
(Same can't really be said for England at the moment, and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE.....is JAMES really the best we can offer?)....that guy is and always has been a complete nightmare.....I literally shut my eyes whenever he's near the ball.....(sorry, I digressed there for a bit). ;)
David petrucci is a gem of a midfielder & i feel he can be as good as Lamps or Gerrard in terms of influence exerted in attacking from midfield & also scoring goals & providing assists which is something United has been missing in the last few seasons & is an area United can improve a lot as Scholesy play more deep & both Fletch,Carrick not having a great eye for goal even though i expect both to improve on that part of game over the next few seasons as Giggsy+scholes retire next season.
Is it me, or is Ole becoming more legendary?!
I LOVE Man Utd..and the way the article insinuates (well atleast to me) that this is mind games from our side..(can you see i read the football 365 mailbox?)
Really happy that these two youngsters have been drafted into the full Euro squad, it show's how far they've come in such a short space of time!! Obviously the European game will suit their style of play so it's a good call by SAF to include them both.
I hope they'll get some mins but i doubt it as we're entering such a crucial phase in the comp, the experience should prove invaluable to their future developments all the same though, i'm sure it has Danny Welbeck!?
Good luck to all !!!
ESP the youngsters !!
I hope Utd dont make the same mistake with these guys as they did with Rossi -- i.e. selling him so cheap - they guy is a fantastic talent, came on for the ITalian 1st team - that's right , the kid from New York - and did brilliantly - Villareal got him at a snip - his market value now would easily be around the 20m mark. my point is if these guys are so good as we are being led to believe, like Rossi was (and now is) yet don't make the grade because we go out and buy another centre forward for 30m - then we must make the most in terms of resale value, not pennies
I've watched Macheda through the youth games, he's good with a fine shot. Petrucci, well, he'll be a jewel in the crown. Watch this lad go, no wonder Milan weren't happy about us getting him.
RoCarldo - who cares about England...??
Manchester United and Argentina pal...!!
Argyred - we have a buy back clause for Rossi. can't be more than 7 to 10 mill. If tevez leaves for the reason of financial expense....
What about Rodrigo? Surely he is well ahead of these two at this stage. I've discounted Gibson from future United teams as he just doesn't add anything to the squad. For example the twins made an immediate impact and in Wellbeck you can see the raw talent but Rodrigo looks to me to have what it takes to step up. We know that at some point Nev, Giggs and Scholes have to be replaced and it is good to see the timing of these kids stepping up looks to be right on target with our three heroes departing. On Rossi some people just have to let him go. It's good to see him doing well but there wasn't a place for him and his size didn't help. So many kids, so few places.
jordy, Middleton
12/02/2009 at 15:43; Sorry to be a know-all, we got Petrucci from Roma not Milan. Looks to be a bit of a player from what i've seen....lets hope so!!
From what i've seen on MUTV they both seem fantastic prospects. Just hope they progress as we're all hoping and that Fergie (or very probablly his successor) gives them a run in the first team when the times comes.
Foster, Da Silva twins, Evans, Possebon, Petrucci, Welbeck, Macheda, Morrison.... added to Evra, Vidic, Anderson, Ronaldo, Tosic, Rooney and hopefully Nani and the future seems very very red!!
I also rate Zieler and Hewson but i dont think they'll be given there chance unfortunately.
Rossi, Welbeck, Campbell ...... when was the last time a striker made it through the ranks to the first team on a consistent basis? Kidd?
I hope they do but doubt they will, one thing for sure is that IF they do they will be very very good.
I always thought Rossi would be a perfect replacement for Scholes which seems to be how Villarial use him, didn;t see him play for Italy.
Pique made his debut for the other world champions yesterday too and is a regular for Barcelona,
If we are to get to Rome, our most likely opponents along the way will be Inter (obviously), Villareal in the quarters, Liverpool in the semis, Barca in the final.
Tevez out Rossi In!
Rossi was the best Italian player against Brazil as how many reporters put it after the match,It was a huge mistake selling him as is testament to his last season with Villareal scoring more than 20 goals which is more than Rooney & tevez in a team with less creative+talented midfielders. I think If united get him back he can easily score 25-30 goals with a creative midfield like Uniteds.
Keithmat,
Personal opinion, I think Evans is better than Pique. Campbell should have said he was coming back to us when SAF suggested it before the transfer window. Hard to figure where that boy is going now because the striker situation looks full here and he won't be getting games there.
People's comments about Rossi and Pique are both valid, but also raise aan interesting point. Unfortunately for both Utd and the players, we can't keep hold of all promising youngsters.
Rossi and Pique are both great and have done well, but I would prefer Evans over Pique and Rossi would not be a first choice. We also have options on a lot of these players so that we can buy them back or make more money from their sale.
The positive is that there are more coming through.I think we could put out a team capable of beating most of the league with an average age of 21, cue Alan Hanson!
keithmat,
12/02/2009 at 21:42
I think more like Whiteside & Hughes.
Did Whiteside really come through the youth system? I think he went straight into the firts team :-) and what a player! I think it took Hughes a few years in the youth team. Interestingly both had made at at a younger age than all of the current crop of youth.
If you are a striker at United you have to be ultimately so good that if you haven't made it by 18 then you probably aren't going to.
As one who watches most reserve games their talent along with a few others is clear.
However like others have mentioned for example Pique scored two European goals yet we let him go.Rossi seemed in the very few chances he was given to do well.
Watching Campbell the other night he has the class and ability speed movement and style,along with Welbeck the future looks good.
I cant see the scum beating real in any way shape or form.
I think inter will be hard for us,but over two legs i think we will edge it.
norman whiteside. the shankill skinhead. discovered by boy bishop, the man who unearthed george best and sammy mcllroy. my favourite player from the early eighties. i will never forget his goal against everton in the 1985 fa cup final. or the stormer in a semi of the same competition. up there with bryan robson being carried off the old trafford pitch by fans after we beat barcelona. beautiful memories.
keithmat,
pique is not a regular for Barca...
he plays when Pep decides to rest either Marquez/Puyol/Abidal...he is not first choice and anyhow, whilst i wish him good luck, he is nowhere as good as Jonny Evans, not now and not in the future!! evans is the new Paul Mc Grath (minus the alcohol)