Banned Serb wants tight marking on van Nistelrooy

BILLERBECK, Germany, June 9 (Reuters) Suspended Serbia&Montenegro defender Nemanja Vidic wants his team to give Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy no room in their Group C clash in Leipzig on Sunday.

''Van Nistelrooy is a great player and I know he is fired up to finish as the top scorer in the World Cup, which may be his last because he is nearly 30,'' Vidic told reporters today.

''It's difficult to advise anyone how to contain one of the best finishers in the game but what I can say is that nothing short of air-tight marking will do,'' Vidic said of his Manchester United team mate.

Vidic collected a one-match ban when he was sent off in Serbia's final qualifier against Bosnia and says he will find it hard to watch on Sunday.

''It's getting more difficult to come to terms with it as the match draws closer,'' he said. ''The only thing I can do is hope my absence doesn't undermine our defensive strength.'' The Serbs conceded only one goal in 10 unbeaten matches in qualifying and Vidic marshalled a defence nicknamed the 'fabulous four'.

''The lads will have to work hard to live up to that reputation as van Nistelrooy is not the only menace they will have to deal with,'' he said.

Serbia's other group opponents are Argentina and Ivory Coast.

REUTERS PDS KN2143