Real Madrid 'tried to snap up Sir Alex Ferguson twice'

Real Madrid reportedly tried to prise Sir Alex Ferguson away from Manchester United twice during his career.

The Scotsman, who has spent 27 years at the helm of the Red Devils, will go up against the Spanish giants at Old Trafford for the second leg of their Champions League round-of-16 encounter tonight.

The 71-year-old's opponents tried to lure him to the Bernabeu in 1991 and in the spring of 2003 before appointing Ferguson's assistant manager Carlos Queiroz, according to The Times.

United will secure a place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League if they are able to build on the 1-1 draw from the first leg.