Sir Bobby: United Made For Europe

Manchester United have a long and storied past in European football and Sir Bobby Charlton is keen to see that continue under Reds boss David Moyes.

The Reds got off to a winning start in Group A with a 4-2 victory over Bayer Leverkusen at Old Trafford a fortnight ago, but the Reds face the trickiest away trip of this group phase in Ukraine against Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday.

Sir Bobby made 28 appearances and scored ten goals in the competition as a player, and speaking in his ambassador's column in United Review, the matchday programme, ahead of the Leverkusen game he spoke of his and United's inherent association with the competition.

"My own memories of the Champions League go right back to when it was known as the European Cup, and our very first involvement in the competition," he wrote. "Manchester United led English football into Europe. Back then we were up against top-quality players and we couldn't wait for each game.

"The competition was made for Manchester United, for our mentality. We knew it was for us. What followed over the ensuing decades proved it, and the Champions League will continue to be a competition made for Manchester United."

The Reds have lifted the famous trophy on three occasions and it is the challenge of pitting yourself against the finest teams on the continent that has allowed the competition to evolve whilst retaining its lasting appeal as European football's elite competition.

Moyes's men did well in the first outing this season by putting four goals past Bayer Leverkusen en route to a 4-2 win, and Sir Bobby is confident the boss will lead United forward in Europe.

"David has, of course, sampled European football with Everton before, but he will learn a lot from being in the Champions League and he'll learn very quickly," he added. "We're very fortunate that he's our manager, no doubt about that."

"Continuity was a big factor in David's appointment. Whenever you change manager, there will, of course, be one or two little differences, but not a lot if you handle it right and we've done that."