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Beckham determined to beat former club Manchester United

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AC Milan locker room talk
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • David Beckham has mixed feelings ahead of AC Milan's clash with Manchester United
  • England midfielder faces United for first time since leaving English champions in 2003
  • Milan host United at the San Siro on Tuesday in first leg of Champions League last-16 tie
  • Beckham says he bears no ill-will to Alex Ferguson for selling him to Real Madrid
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(CNN) -- David Beckham admits he has mixed feelings ahead of the first leg of AC Milan's Champions League last-16 clash with Manchester United, the club where he made his name as a sporting superstar.

The England midfielder faces United at the San Siro on Tuesday for the first time since he left in 2003, having won six Premier League titles and Europe's top club prize once after graduating from the celebrated "Class of '92" youth team.

The 34-year-old, who has 115 international caps, was sold to Spanish giants Real Madrid as manager Alex Ferguson became unhappy with his star player's increasing off-the-field celebrity.

He moved to Italy for his second loan spell with Milan at the start of January following the end of his U.S. Major League Soccer season with Los Angeles Galaxy.

"It is going to be an emotional game, but as a Manchester United fan it's the first time I am going to want United to lose," Beckham told reporters on Monday.

"As an AC Milan player I want to beat Manchester United, and to say that as a Man U fan is quite difficult. As much as it is emotional for me personally, it is important that we win the game.

"I am a Milan player and I want us to play well in the game and progress to the next stage."

As a Manchester United fan, it's the first time I am going to want United to lose
--David Beckham

Beckham, who is not guaranteed to start the match after being named on the substitutes' bench for Milan's past two Serie A games, insisted that he bears no ill-will towards Ferguson.

"Sir Alex will always be a father figure to me," he said. "He always has been and he always will be. No matter what has been said in the past, whether good or bad, I only remember the good times.

"He was the man who gave me my chance to play for the club I had always dreamed of playing for. For me there were only good times. Sir Alex is respected throughout football all around the world.

"Clubs move forwards and it was my time to leave Manchester United in 2003, and I moved on. I definitely hold nothing against the manager, he's an incredible man."

Beckham's teammate Clarence Seedorf, a four-time Champions League winner, believes the Italian club have bounced back from the pre-season departure of Brazilian former world player of the year Kaka to Real Madrid.

"I think we have more than a good atmosphere, we have a great atmosphere. We have been working together now for seven or eight years. Winning a lot of things, but we have also had some difficult moments," the Dutch midfielder told CNN.

"I have to say that every time we had those difficult moments we were very united and coming always stronger out of the difficulties. I have to say that we're very happy with the group spirit."

United will welcome back new England captain Rio Ferdinand, with the defender three games into a four-match domestic ban, but fellow center-back Nemanja Vidic and veteran midfielder Ryan Giggs are out with injuries.

Tuesday's other last-16 tie sees French club Lyon host Real Madrid, while on Wednesday Germany's Bayern Munich are at home to Italy's Fiorentina and England's Arsenal travel to Portugal to play Porto.

Next week, champions Barcelona go to German club Stuttgart, French league winners Bordeaux take on Greek side Olympiacos, CSKA Moscow host Spain's Sevilla and Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho has a home tie against his former club Chelsea.