Cristiano Ronaldo can occasionally come across like the boy who has everything, but he maintains that it is not the case. At least not yet. Stopping to talk to reporters on his way out of the Olympic Stadium in the early hours of yesterday, he painted a different picture, talking of the countless times he has switched on MUTV, gawped at the reruns of Manchester United's Champions League triumph in 1999 and been left high on adrenalin but also green with envy.

Ronaldo was 14, back home in Madeira, when Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer etched their names into folklore with the late goals that gave United a dramatic 2-1 victory over Bayern Munich in Barcelona. “Since then, I have the match many many times on TV at home in Manchester,” the Portugal winger said. “It is something I want to do as well.”

It would take a brave man to bet against United lifting the European Cup in Moscow on May 21. After a 2-0 victory away to AS Roma on Tuesday evening, they are on course for a titanic semi-final this month against Barcelona, who are 1-0 up in their quarter-final after winning away to Schalke 04 in the first leg. Some - Arsène Wenger not among them - would call that the purists' final, but such talk is unlikely to be heard emanating from the United dressing-room, where there is a recognition that it is not enough simply to be playing the best football in Europe in May. It is about fighting to the bitter end, just as Sheringham, Solskjaer, David Beckham et al did in 1999.

That fighting spirit was not always associated with the modern-day United, or, indeed, with Ronaldo. On the night that they tumbled out the Champions League in the group phase in December 2005, after an ignominious 2-1 defeat by Benfica in Lisbon, the Portugal forward crumbled in the face of provocation from opposition players and fans. Barely two years later, he is a player of undisputed world class, epitomising the flair but also the bravery and the passion of a team who are arguably producing the best football in Europe at present.

“I think the team improves every year,” Ronaldo said. “In fact, at the moment the team is brilliant. Everyone is so confident. Maybe we are the best team at the moment, but we mustn't forget you have Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and Barcelona. Even so, we are in a very good position right now. If we carry on like this, we have a good chance to win the Champions League.”

The plaudits usually go to Ronaldo, but Sir Alex Ferguson would scoff at the notion that his is a one-man team. While Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney scored the goals in the Olympic Stadium, it would be remiss to overlook the solidity of Rio Ferdinand, who has blossomed into the world-class defender that he had previously only threatened to be, and Michael Carrick, who is performing with a maturity and poise that few realised he had. Wes Brown and Patrice Evra also defended with character and bravery, as did John O'Shea, an early replacement for the injured Nemanja Vidic.

That injury to Vidic, who fell awkwardly on his left knee during an aerial challenge with Mirko Vucinic, was the only cloud on United's horizon as their squad arrived back in Manchester shortly before 4am yesterday. The Serbia defender was grimacing as he took his place on the flight and his mood can hardly have improved yesterday when he was sent for a scan, only to be told that the swelling on his knee was so severe that he would have to wait 24 hours to discover the prognosis.

The loss of Vidic would be a serious blow for a United team dreaming of a double of Premier League and Champions League, but not necessarily a ruinous one. “Fingers crossed, he'll be all right because he's a very important player for us,” Ferdinand said. “To keep this going without one of the regular players at the back would be a good test for us, but I'm sure we'll pass it.”