Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has conceded that he was not willing to "risk" Nemanja Vidic for tonight's Champions League encounter against Real Madrid.

The Serbian defender has only recently returned to the United squad following two injuries that had kept him out of action for around 10 months in total.

With that in mind, Ferguson has decided to rest his captain for the match in the Bernabeu.

"We try to manage Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand, they need that extra day sometimes and three days after playing on gluey pitch at Old Trafford, it might have been a risk for us to play Vidic," he told Sky Sports News.

Vidic has made 13 appearances in all competitions so far this season.