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Fabio Capello
Saturday March 15,2008
England manager Fabio Capello has warned Roma could provide a tough test for Manchester United when the two teams meet in the last eight of the Champions League.
Capello, who steered Roma to the Serie A title in 2001, believes Friday's draw which paired Roma with United was not a bad result for the only Italian team left in Europe's elite club competition.
"I believe that among the four English sides that Roma could have been drawn with, they have been paired with the team that will better suit them to express their own football," Capello told Italian TV station Rai Sport.
The teams - who have played in the competition already this season and also met last year - will battle again over two legs next month, with the first match in Rome on April 1 and the second meeting at Old Trafford eight days later.
Roma were ousted from the quarter-final stages of the competition last season by Sir Alex Ferguson's side, who thrashed the Eternal City giants 7-1 at Old Trafford.
However, Capello believes Roma are unlikely to suffer a similar result this time around.
"The unprecedented defeat suffered last season at Old Trafford has helped Roma face rivals with more concentration in the Champions League this season," he said.
"I am certain we will see a different Roma, being more organised on the pitch and one that will do much better."