Tonight the UEFA Champions League will show off all its glitz and glamour in an iconic-looking fixture in north-west England.

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Two of the mightiest clubs on the planet, Manchester United and AC Milan, will clash under the Old Trafford floodlights for a place in the last eight of Europe’s elite club competition with the protagonists boasting a total of 10 European Cups between them.

The match has all the ingredients who would want for a Champions League knockout fixture.

A gargantuan stadium packed to the rafters; past masters like Ronaldinho, Clarence Seedorf and Paul Scholes still turning on the style; hungry young guns like Wayne Rooney and Alexandre Pato; and the return of the prodigal son as David Beckham graces the Theatre of Dreams.

Without trying to overuse Hollywood-style schmaltz, this really feels that this is what the Champions League is all about despite not being a fan of either club.

The sense of occasion is palpable even if the tie is not exactly on a knife-edge.

Seedorf’s late backheel at the San Siro has meant that Manchester United cannot totally relax.

But AC Milan will have to score at least twice at Old Trafford to qualify and though that might not be beyond the realms of possibility, keeping a clean sheet against Rooney almost certainly is.

That would mean Milan scoring three times which is beginning to stretch one’s faith and I simply cannot see it happening though for entertainment’s sake it would be interesting to see the Rossoneri open the scoring.

AC Milan have never been major exponents of the fabled catenaccio system of play which is why they are generally the most popular Italian club outside of their country.

Their philosophy – together with Manchester United’s raison d’etre - almost guarantees goals and excitement.

Let’s hope the match lives up to its promise.