There was a moment when Sir Alex Ferguson mentioned the number of European Cups that Real Madrid have won and, pausing for a moment to marvel at that record of nine titles, conceded it was one benchmark he would have to accept was beyond him.
Then last year, came another reality check, similar to that one experienced in the 2005-06 season, when United failed to make it out the group stages again. The rebuilding continues and the generation of Tom Cleverley, Danny Welbeck, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, David De Gea, Rafael Da Silva and the newly arrived, albeit vastly experienced, Robin van Persie are asked to show whether they can take United back up to being contenders again.
There was much hand-wringing over finding a "new" Keane, until Wayne Rooney and Ronaldo emerged. So too, Van Persie has filled a void not occupied since Ronaldo's departure, although they are clearly very different players. The likes of Jones, Welbeck, Smalling and Cleverley are following a path well-trodden by United's best young players. Eliminate Real Madrid and suddenly the picture changes and expectations rise.
United beat Barcelona in the semi-finals in 2008 but since then Barça's development has eclipsed their own. Had those two finals United have lost to Barça gone the other way, then Ferguson would be the most successful manager in the history of European football.
