SIR Alex Ferguson admits it is getting harder for Scottish clubs to reach the knock-out phase of the Champions League.

Ferguson knows a win for Manchester United at Celtic tomorrow will not only ease the holders into the last 16 but confirm the elimination of Gordon Strachan's men.

While both halves of the Old Firm have reached the Uefa Cup Final in recent times, only twice have they made the latter stages of Europe's top club competition.

It is a statistic unlikely to be changed in the near future - Rangers did not even make it past Kaunas at the second qualifying round stage - but Ferguson does not believe it is an impossibility.

"Realistically, if you look at Celtic and Rangers, then consider there are four teams from Italy, Spain and England, it makes it difficult," said Ferguson.

"Financially it is difficult, but that doesn't mean it couldn't be done because Celtic's home record always gives them a big chance."

Unfortunately for the Hoops, they failed to win their opening home game against Group E whipping boys Aalborg, but Ferguson is not adopting a superior attitude as he returns to his native city.

If anything, he wanted to underplay his side's achievement in winning the Champions League last term, confirming United's penalty shoot-out win over Chelsea did make them the best team in Europe - but not by much.

"I don't think there is a lot between ourselves, Chelsea, Arsenal, Real Madrid and Barcelona," he said, pointedly omitting Liverpool and any Italian sides.

"We won the European Cup last year, but after all we only won it on penalty kicks."

Despite such modesty, Ferguson was staggered to read George Boateng's assessment of the thrilling seven-goal duel with Hull on Saturday.

"He said We went one versus one with them in the second half to find out how good they are'. That is the quote of the century," said Ferguson. "We have just won the European Cup."

The Hull game did become uncomfortable for United, although Ferguson flatly denied that he had been critical of his team.

"I was not critical," he insisted. "I just said given the number of chances we created it should have been a cricket score."