No club has retained the Champions League since the format was introduced in 1992 - but Manchester United will look to break the mould when it embarks on this season's campaign at home to Villarreal of Spain on Wednesday. The high-octane win on penalties over Chelsea in Moscow last May gave manager Sir Alex Ferguson his second triumph and now he sees a personal hat trick within reach - even if the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool, not to forget Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Barcelona would beg to differ. Both triumphs overseen by Sir Alex were set-of-the-pants affairs, with the last-gasp turnaround against Bayern Munich in 1999 and then the spotkick drama four months ago. The Red Devils still have a way to go when it comes to putting their medals on the table alongside those of nine-time winner Real, seven-time champion AC Milan and Liverpool, five-time kings of Europe. But Ferguson says his men are hell bent on narrowing the gap as they bid to emulate AC Milan, the last team to win back-to-back European Cup crowns in 1990. “Winning in Moscow was so important because there was an imbalance in our club's history given the importance we place, and have always placed, on European football,” said United coach Ferguson. “Sir Matt Busby took the club into Europe before other English clubs dared to and his vision was right,” Ferguson told uefa.com. “When you consider that teams like Bayern Munich has won this trophy four times, Ajax four, Liverpool five, AC Milan seven and Real Madrid nine you see how far short of that group we were. That group is our target now - it has to be.” But before United can join the real elite of European football it must deal with the likes of Villarreal, whom Ferguson dubs “a very strong side” after its runner-up finish in La Liga last season. Manuel Pellegrini's side, which includes former Arsenal man Robert Pires, reached the semis three years ago. Also in United's group is Scottish side Celtic, the first British side to win the European Cup - a year before United's 1968 success. The Celts, coached by Gordan Strachan, take on Denmark's Aalborg, coached by former Scotland international and ex-Arsenal boss Bruch Rioch. Arsenal, buoyed by the fine form of England hero Theo Walcott and Emmanuel Adebayor, travels to Dynamo Kiev in Group G, ahead of facing Portuguese champions Porto and Turkish club Fenerbahce. Bayern Munich travels to Group F rival Steaua Bucharest while French table-topper Lyon has an awkward opener at home to Italy's Fiorentina. Real Madrid should swat newcomer Bate Borisov of Belarus in Group H but Juventus may find Russian UEFA Cup winner Zenit St. Petersburg quite a handful. Terry ban overturned Chelsea captain John Terry will be available for Sunday's Premier League clash against champion Manchester United after winning his appeal against a red card. The Football Association said on Tuesday that an independent regulatory commission hearing had overturned the red card Terry received when he brought down Manchester City striker Jo late on in his side's 3-1 victory on Saturday. Had referee Mark Halsey's decision been allowed to stand Terry would have received an automatic three-match suspension starting with the United fixture this weekend. Halsey dismissed Terry for serious foul play after he grabbed hold of Brazilian Jo near the center circle after Chelsea's Deco had misplaced a pass.
