United lack the formula to end Iberian jinx

Champions' League: Ferguson has not yet found a way to utilise Veron in midfield without diminishing the roles of Keane, Scholes or Beckham

Iberia may be an enduringly popular destination for English tourists but English football clubs are much less enamoured with the peninsular. Manchester United's dramatic defeat at Deportivo La Coruña on Tuesday means that Premiership clubs, despite going to Iberia to play native opposition on 16 occasions, are still waiting to return with a victory.

All but one of these matches have been in Spain, from which Manchester United, Arsenal, Leeds United, Chelsea and Newcastle have garnered a collective return of just five draws. The last European Cup victory over a Spanish team on their own soil pre-dates the post-Heysel ban of 1985.

It is not the climate, the water or the food. English clubs have returned from Spain with Champions' League victories in this period. Best remembered is Manchester United's win over Bayern Munich in the 1999 final but Leeds United also beat German opposition in the Nou Camp, defeating VfB Stuttgart in a controversially replayed tie nine seasons ago.

It is the quality of the opposition which is the key. In the last five years, coinciding with the rise and spread of the Champions' League, Spanish club football has replaced Italian as the best in Europe. Any doubts that this was the case were finally erased by Zinedine Zidane's record-breaking summer transfer from Juventus to Real Madrid.

The depth of the Spanish game is underlined by the variety of sides which have beaten English opposition in recent years. Deportivo La Coruña, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Real Mallorca have been successful in the Champions' League, with Real Zaragoza, Celta Vigo and Bilbao beating English clubs in other European competitions.

The reasons for the strength of the Spanish game are partly financial. Television income for leading clubs is even greater than in England, and partly historic. Post-colonial links between Iberia and Latin America have led to a steady influx of leading players from Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay – all of which nationalities featured in Deportivo's victory. The result is a style of play which combines the best of both.

Manchester United are seeking to introduce a South American influence themselves in the shape of Juan Sebastian Veron, a leading light in Argentina's all-conquering team. While Veron has looked an exceptional player, Sir Alex Ferguson has so far been unable to find the best way of integrating his talents without diminishing the impact of Roy Keane and Paul Scholes.

For 85 minutes on Tuesday it looked as if he had found a way of doing so, for away games at least. Keane sat in front of the back four with Scholes and Veron in central midfield. Had Ryan Giggs taken one of several second-half chances on the counter-attack we would now be hailing a tactical masterstroke. As Ferguson said afterwards: "The margins at this level are very small". But, as Deportivo increased the pressure, these opportunities could not dispel the sense that United were being pushed too far back. Keane's energy was not being utilised effectively in his deep position while Ruud van Nistelrooy became isolated in attack. In addition, Beckham seemed more marginalised than he has been of late.

This was partly because the team had become exhausted through chasing the ball. United had only 38 per cent of ball possession. As a result the midfield, which had worked tremendously hard, ran out of legs while the defence, which had had to concentrate far harder than usual, were mentally fatigued. As Veron noted of the errors that led to Deportivo's victory: "I think it would be harsh to call them mistakes, more lapses in concentration."

The Argentine added: "We had the game in our grasp so it was very disappointing, but one defeat is not the end of the season. Qualification remains in our own hands."

"There are positives we can take from this game. I think the system worked well although we still need to improve on a few things. The team is going the right way."

Ferguson would not be drawn on whether he felt he was getting close to finding the right shape to bring the best from his illustrious midfielders. He is desperate to do so, and not just because of the possibility of retiring with a final flourish in his native Glasgow.

Despite his unparalleled managerial success he has rarely been lauded for his tactical acumen. The trophies and championships, at home and abroad, are more usually ascribed to his motivational and team-building abilities. Had he retired at the end of last season, that is how his Old Trafford career would be reviewed.

This season, with the Champions' League looking stronger and more open than ever, he has the chance to prove the tactical dimension to his management has been unfairly overlooked. Success would confirm his place in the coaching pantheon; failure would mean his personality will always be regarded, perhaps unfairly, as more influential than his insight.