Soccer-Ferguson hails special Manchester United team

By Pete Oliver

MANCHESTER, April 9 (Reuters) - Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson said on Wednesday he saw something special in his team and wanted them to prove it in their mouthwatering Champions League semi-final against Barcelona.

United reached the last four for the second successive season by beating AS Roma 1-0 at Old Trafford to complete a 3-0 aggregate win and now face the Spanish giants with the first leg at the Nou Camp where they won the 1999 Champions League final.

Ferguson told a news conference: "We are delighted to be in the semi-finals and the fact that it's Barcelona makes it an attractive semi-final. We are looking forward to it.

"You have opportunities in life when you have got something really special in your club and I think we've got something special in this team.

"We want to go there and show what a good team we are. Barcelona have a fantastic history and is a very good club but we can't go there and be negative.

"We have to go there and be really positive and if we do that we have a marvellous chance."

United failed to reach the final last season when they lost to eventual winners AC Milan.

But Ferguson believes his side will be better prepared to face Barcelona if Nemanja Vidic, Nani and Louis Saha complete their recovery from injuries and everyone else stays fit.