In Focus: Record-breaking Ronaldo out to end United's European pain

Manchester United travel to Young Boys in their Champions League opener in Switzerland tonight.

The Red Devils will face Villarreal, Atalanta and Young Boys in Group F as they look to avoid another embarrassing exit following last year’s group stage departure.

And with Champions League specialist Cristiano Ronaldo looking to break more records, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer knows he has a squad capable of competing for the title.

Ron top

Ronaldo will equal the record for the most appearances in the Champions League tonight.

It is the 177th time he has played in Europe’s elite competition — matching the number set by former Real Madrid team-mate Iker Casillas.

Manchester United’s 2-1 defeat to Stuttgart in October 2003 marked his debut and the Portugal talisman has gone on to win the trophy five times since then.

Ronaldo is already the record goalscorer with 134 strikes in the competition for United, Real Madrid and Juventus.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer named his superstar in tonight's starting XI despite admitting he needs to manage the 36-year-old’s minutes.

Speaking after the Newcastle win, he said: "The thing with Cristiano is that he looks after himself so much so I know he will recover quickly and he has had a pre-season.

"Of course it’s important that we get everyone up and running and to get him up and running and to give him 90 minutes.

"Of course there is a game on Tuesday (against Young Boys). We will see what we do. But no, it’s not impossible to leave him out. He is 36, Mason [Greenwood] is 19, so it’s the same, I have to manage his minutes, and I have to manage a 36-year-old’s minutes as well."

United impact

Only 52 of those appearances came during Ronaldo's time at United and just 15 of the goals.

But that was before he turned himself into a goalscoring machine and eight of those strikes came in the 2007-8 season as they beat Chelsea in the final.

Though he missed a penalty in the shootout, Ronaldo’s towering header midway through the first half gave United a 1-0 lead.

Speaking about the game, Ronaldo said: "After I missed I thought we were going to lose. I thought it was going to be the worst day of my life. But despite my mistake, my team-mates still believed we could win.

"In the end it was the happiest day of my life."

The final Champions League game of his first spell at Old Trafford did end with heartbreak as United lost the 2009 final 2-0 to Barcelona.

Things can only get better

But everyone involved with the club would be happy if Ronaldo inspired United to a final this season.

Their return to the Champions League last year went miserably as they were dumped out at the group stage, before losing the Europa League final to Villarreal.

A 2-1 defeat to Istanbul Basaksehir was particularly embarrassing as RB Leipzig and Paris Saint-Germain went through to the last 16.

Speaking after that game, skipper Harry Maguire said: "It's a tough group but we felt we should get through. That's the standards of this club. 

"I'm gutted for everyone, we worked so hard to reach this competition. No matter what group we got it would be tough. We have to do more."

Many thought that may bring the end to Solskjaer’s reign – but 10 months later he remains in charge.

Swiss threat

On paper at least, the Red Devils have been handed the easiest task of the group stage.

Young Boys did win the Swiss Super League last season but should post no real threat to Solskjaer’s men.

Despite winning the last four domestic titles, they have only successfully navigated the qualifying stages once before to reach the group stage back in 2018-19.

They did face United then and nearly secured a famous point at Old Trafford, only for Marouane Fellaini last-minute goal to rescue the Red Devils.

The surface at the Wankdorf Stadium is artificial, something Solskjaer is wary of — as well as their rivals' recent form.

He said: "It’s not just Ferencvaros games [in qualifying] we've analysed, they're coming into form in the league as well and the Zurich game was very impressive.

"They are energetic, attacking minded, we know it’s going to be a very difficult game.

"Astroturf is always a little bit of an advantage at home but we should be able to deal with it really well."