"I think we have the ability, we've got the desire to do it and we just have to make sure the concentration in big games is good because concentration is important to young players," he told a Lisbon news conference.

The club lost 2-1 to Benfica last December, after having managed to get an early lead, were knocked out of the competition, finishing at the bottom of a modest group that included Villarreal and Lille.

It was the first time in a decade that the 1999 champions failed to advance to the knockout stages.

"I think that concentration was the real needlepoint of the game against Benfica last year. We made a fantastic start to the game, for the first 15 minutes, and then we lost our concentration," he added.

"You can't do that in Europe, it's too important," he said.

Manchester United won its opening Champions League match 3-2 against Celtic.

The club won five Premier League games in a row this season but have only one point from their last two matches after losing 1-0 at home to Arsenal and drawing 1-1 with promoted Reading.

But Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand said the squad was determined to defeat Benfica during its rematch against the Portuguese club.

"As a group it makes you stronger coming back to a place like this. You want to prove that you are a better team and individual as well and we are ready to do that," he said.

"Sitting at home while you think to yourself that we could have been in the next round is definitely a disappointment. I wouldn't want to be in that situation again," he added.

"We didn't come out here to draw a game or play defensive football. We want to win the game just like Benfica do so it makes for a very entertaining game."