It seems likely that the big injury concerns for both clubs will rectify themselves prior to the game this evening. Manchester United’s Rio Ferdinand and Barcelona’s Thierry Henry and Andres Iniesta are all likely to start the game.
OK
It was believed that Ferdinand, who has had a calf injury, would have to prove his fitness for United in their game at Hull on Sunday. When he was not even named amongst the substitutes, many United fans feared the worst. However, he came through a tough weekend of training and his manager, Sir Alex Ferguson has said that Ferdinand should be “OKâ€Â.
Henry and Iniesta were regarded as doubts but both players have been training and are expected to be fit. Henry has been struggling with a ligament injury and Iniesta has had a thigh injury.
Can’t wait!
So, the battle of the giants is almost with us. I can’t wait! On the one hand we have Manchester United. Champions of England and Carling Cup winners. On the other hand we have Barcelona. Champions of Spain and Spanish Cup winners. For United there is wily old campaigner Sir Alex Ferguson with his thirty-five year career and thirty-two major trophies. For Barcelona there is Pep Guardiola in his first ever season of management.
Sixty-seven year old Ferguson said,
“We both have players who can express themselves in the best possible way. The profile of the final is good and I hope it lives up to that profile.”
Thirty-eight year old Guardiola said,
“You either play with ambition or you have no chance. We will go to Rome with the aim of showing the world what we have done all year.”
On the field there will be the inevitable comparison between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. As can be seen from discussions on this very website, the world is divided almost 50/50 as to which of them is the world’s best player. There will be an opportunity here for one or both them to stake a big claim.
Quality
Everyone knows the quality of the likes of Messi, Henry, Eto’o, Xavi and Iniesta and almost any team in the world would be scared of the threat they pose. Maybe the one team who aren’t could be Manchester United.
United full back Patrice Evra certainly thinks they will be OK when he looks in his dressing room.
“I was confident before the games because I train every day against players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Carlos Tevez and Wayne Rooney. You have a lot of quality there.”
Manchester United have a very slight lead over Barcelona in European confrontations. In the ten games they played United have won three, Barcelona two and the rest have been drawn. When they played each other in the 1991 European Cup Winners’ Cup final United came out on top. One interesting statistic is that United have eliminated Barcelona from European competition three times whilst Barcelona have never done the same to United.
Top two
Whatever Rafa Benitez might say, there are few people who do not believe that these two are the top two teams in Europe. It is fantastic that the two best teams have made it to the final. The winners of this game will be rightly crowned as the best team on the continent.
The style of play that both teams usually employ is a joy to watch for the neutral. The passing and possession play shown week in and week out by Barcelona is breathtaking. United will spend long periods chasing the ball but their slightly more direct style with Ronaldo and Rooney always highly dangerous on the break may be the perfect antidote to the fluency of Barcelona.
Classic
It is impossible to call the result of this game because both teams are rightly described by the over used adjective of great. It should be a classic.
I have to make a prediction but I really don’t want to! OK, here goes:
Barcelona 1 Manchester United 2.
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