Rio Ferdinand: 'Manchester United playing catch-up in Champions League'

Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has admitted that his side need to make up for lost ground in the Champions League this season.

United went out to Real Madrid in the knockout stages last season under the cloud of Nani's contentious red card, with a shock exit in the group stages coming a year before.

Ferdinand believes that the competition has improved markedly since United last made the final in 2011, with the challenge now to recapture that form, starting tonight against Bayer Leverkusen.

He told The Mirror: "If you don't win it or don't get to the final, you've got to catch up.

"Last year we went out under dubious circumstances to say the least, but hopefully we can improve. We improved last season on the season before last, so hopefully we can improve this year.

"But the Champions League now is so competitive, the teams are so good and the players are so good. There's such a desire to get into the later stages of the tournament, because the rewards are so high."

Tonight's clash with Leverkusen at Old Trafford will mark David Moyes's first game in the competition as United boss, in a tough Group A also featuring Real Sociedad and Shakhtar Donetsk.