Sir Alex Ferguson wants more, just as he has always wanted more. And as Manchester United FC attempt to retain the European crown they won so dramatically in Moscow last May it is attack, not defence, which is on the manager's mind.

Repeat triumph
No side has ever successfully defended the UEFA Champions League title; Sir Alex has a burning desire that United should be the first. Several clubs have many more pictures of their captain lifting the 'Cup with the big ears' above his head than United – Real Madrid CF have nine to the Red Devils' three. Sir Alex wants his team to cut that gap. His players know it, the fans can savour it and his Group E rivals, Wednesday's visitors Villarreal CF, Celtic FC and Aalborg BK, are going to have to deal with it.

Daring vision
"Winning in Moscow was so important because there was an imbalance in our club's history given the importance we place, and have always placed, on European football." Sir Alex said. "Sir Matt Busby took the club into Europe before other English clubs dared to and his vision was right. When you consider that teams like [FC] Bayern München have won this trophy four times, [AFC] Ajax four, Liverpool [FC] five, AC Milan seven times and Real Madrid nine you see how far short of that group we were. That group is our target now – it has to be."

Impatient wait
Since claiming their previous European title back in 1999 – in equally dramatic circumstances – nine years has been an impatient wait for Sir Alex. This time, while the 66-year-old Scot is famously averse to undervaluing the Premier League or underestimating his group opponents, it is clear what drives him. "It's absolutely the case that winning again this season and immediately reaching four victories in this competition is the most important thing," he said. "That achievement would be fantastic for our club. Obviously we take nothing for granted. Villarreal are a very strong side, second last year in the Spanish league and very, very consistent in general under Manuel Pellegrini. I regard them as the main danger to us winning Group E. Celtic are always a difficult game, particularly at their ground where the atmosphere makes it a tough night. Aalborg are the more unknown quantity but the fact that they are in the Champions League means they have won the right to our respect."

Berbatov vision
Part of the fine tuning which Ferguson had been attempting since his penultimate victory in this competition is how to produce something which either surprises or outmanoeuvres the defensive systems opponents deploy to blunt their voracious attack. This season Dimitar Berbatov is his jack-in-the-box. The Bulgarian has not only played in a UEFA Champions League final with Bayer 04 Leverkusen six years ago but has traces of what once made Eric Cantona a catalytic footballer for Ferguson's club.

New Cantona?
"There are similarities, given his age and his calmness on the ball, between 'Berba' and Eric, who was a fantastic player for United," Sir Alex said. "In fact there are a good number of similarities and if he can bring what Eric did then everyone will be delighted. That theme is echoing through Old Trafford at the moment. I think that when he talked about testing himself against the great teams of Europe he showed that he wants to win medals and wants to play for a side which is seriously challenging for European honours. At 27 he brings to me that extra bit of experience given that all my forwards, [Wayne] Rooney, [Cristiano] Ronaldo, Nani, Park [Ji-Sung] and [Carlos] Tévez, are all 24 or under. Berba will bring composure and a vision of the game which I believe will be fantastic for us."