I HAVE seen everything now. Honestly, I have seen it all.

Watching AC Milan at Old Trafford, I had to do a double take.

But I was right, it turned out my eyes were not deceiving me after all.

Some of the Italian players were wearing scarves. I mean, a scarf?

David Beckham even had one on when he warmed up, and when he warmed the bench for that matter but at least he had the decency to take it off when he got on the pitch.

Somebody please tell me, what is it all about.

Is it because these poor, pampered 'stars' want to keep warm in the cold Manchester air? When I played the game there was a great way to combat that problem. Run.

I thought I had seen it all with gloves and tights but now scarves have taken it to another level.

It must be a fashion statement in Italy, a designer label because I cannot see any other reason for it. What next, slippers with studs in? Pompom hats?

My old gaffer Brian Clough never let us wear gloves or hats even in training because we did not wear them in games. Goodness knows what he would make of this.

It was an absolute joke, totally pathetic. Mind you, it was not as embarrassing as AC Milan's performance.

For me, Italian football is in a far worse state that Scottish football. And that is saying something because in my homeland the game is in a real mess.

I was unimpressed with the Italian teams in the first legs and at Old Trafford last week, Manchester United annihilated AC Milan 4-0 on the night to coast through to the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

The Italians were totally outclassed, could not pass the ball, let alone control it and it proved just how far ahead the Premiership is to Seria A.

Tomorrow night, when Inter Milan head to Stamford Bridge, I expect Chelsea to overturn the first-leg deficit and sweep Jose Mourinho's team to one side. They will prove too strong. Italian football does nothing for me and the scarves about sum it up.

As for the unstoppable Wayne Rooney and his United pals, they can go all the way to the final for a third year running. The same cannot be said of Cristiano Ronaldo, as Real Madrid crashed out at the last-16 stage for a sixth year on the trot.

He swapped Manchester for the Bernabeu but despite his goals and great form, even he cannot help Madrid progress.

Despite spending the best part of £200m on Ronaldo, Kaka and the like, they have failed to make an impression on Europe once again. What a shame, hey? It just proves that football is a team game, not about individuals.

That is why for me it will be one from United, Chelsea or Barcelona to win it. And if I had to stick my neck out – minus the scarf – I will go with the Spanish outfit to retain the crown they won so impressively last May.

Tomorrow, Chelsea can rid the competition of the other half of Milan and get the boring and poor Italians out of the competition.

I just hope the blue and black of Milan differ to the red side. Please, no scarves, it's not a good look. It is wrong on so many levels.

If I had come up against a centre forward boasting a wrap-around his neck, I know what I would have done with him. I suspect John Terry might be of the same mindset tomorrow night.

If I see players wearing scarves again, I might turn off the television.