Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is expecting a big performance from Wayne Rooney tonight at Real Madrid.

Marca described Rooney as "a freckled demon" who is "built like a barrel packed with gunpowder" and on his way to "blow up the Bernabeu".

"He is a mature player now," said Ferguson of Rooney. "He is 27. When players mature little bits of their games change.

"His goalscoring has been very consistent. He used to score in snatches. Now there is a far more consistent nature to his goals.

"He also plays different positions with great enthusiasm. Not every player in the world has these qualities."

Asked about today's unflattering reports in the Spanish press, Ferguson said: "Rooney can't read Spanish so we will be all right."