Champions League Final Preview

Premier League champions Manchester United and Spanish Primera Division champions FC Barcelona confront each other in the final of the UEFA Champions League in Rome's Olimpic Stadium later on Wednesday. This is the first time that these two sides have clashed with each other in the final of the world's most premier club competition and many say that this is the Dream Final as United and Barcelona have been the two best sides in Europe this entire season.

Galactic Barcelona

Barcelona have been playing the most attractive football anywhere in Europe this season and have been scoring goals for fun. They have easily been the best team in Spain and are closing on a record number of league goals. To cap it, they defeated their archrivals Real Madrid in both the clasicos this season, winning 2-0 at Camp Nou and then hammering Madrid 6-2 at the Bernabeu. In Europe too, they have been scoring goals for fun, getting six past Lyon over the two legs in the last 16 stage and then thrashing Bayern Munich 4-0 in the quarter-finals. But they needed a last minute equalizer against Chelsea in the semi-finals to book their place in the final for the sixth time in their history and the second time in three years.

Barcelona's football has a scintillating blend of the romantic and the naive. Josep Guardiola's men play in a 4-3-3 formation with Thierry Henry, Samuel Eto'o and Lionel Messi playing upfront and are duly supported by Xavi and Andres Iniesta from the midfield. They have won matches retaining possession for over 70% in some cases and their football has been the best seen for three years.

Barcelona have won the European Cup only twice in their history and the last time they won was in 2006 when they defeated Premier League club Arsenal in the final. That season they won the league too and this season they have won the Copa del Rey also. At the time Frank Rijkaard was in charge this season it is Josep Guardiola, who is a former Barcelona player and is in his first top flight coaching job.

Pragmatic United

Manchester United started the season indifferent and didn't reach the top of the table in the Premier League until January. Their football in the first half of the season wasn't that pretty as they missed their star man Cristiano Ronaldo. But they have been excellent in the second half, recovering the form that made them the best footballing side in the Premier League and in Europe last season. They won the Premier League title this season quite comfortably in the end and achieved their second hat-trick of league titles, equalling Liverpool's record.

United were not too prolific in the Champions League in the group stages and were held to 0-0 draws by Spanish side Villarreal in both legs. But since the knock-out phase, the Red Devils have been devilishly prominent. They dispatched Italian champions Inter Milan 2-0 on aggregate in the last 16 stage very comfortably but faced a shock against Portuguese outfits FC Porto in the quarter-finals when they were held 2-2 at Old Trafford. But a 40-yard screamer from Cristiano Ronaldo after just two minutes in the second half was enough to give them a 3-2 victory on aggregate. Up next were Arsenal who never got going and suffered a 3-1 thashing at the Emirates in the second leg that saw them get out of the Champions League 4-1 on aggregate.

United won the Champions League last season by defeating Chelsea on penalties in Moscow. They won the Premier League too last season. If United win on Wednesday, then Sir Alex Ferguson would become the second oldest coach to lift the European Cup.

Team News

Barcelona are without three of their first choice defenders. Rafael Marquez is out injured and both Daniel Alves and Eric Abidal are suspended. This implies that coach Pep Guardiola would now have to play a makeshift defence. It is being assumed that central defender Carles Puyol could play as a right-back, defensive midfielder Yaya Toure would partner Gerard Pique in central defence and 35-year-old Slyvinho could play as a left-back. This means that either Sergei Busquets or Seydou Keita would play as the team's defensive midfielder in the midfield.

Xavi would start and so would Samuel Eto'o, who has lost some of his scoring prowess in recent weeks, and Lionel Messi, whom many believe is the best player in the world. Striker Thierry Henry and midfielder Andres Iniesta would start too, but both are just coming from injuries they suffered earlier this month. Barcelona, though, would continue to play in a perfect 4-3-3 formation.

Manchester United have no injury concerns but they would be without Darren Fletcher, who was sent off against Arsenal in the second leg. Man United might have three top class strikers but Sir Alex could start with only one, aka Wayne Rooney and that too on the right. United players have assumed a certain degree of versatality that could give them the edge over Barcelona. Cristiano Ronaldo might still retain the designation of a winger but he is very much effective through the middle and Sir Alex could play him along upfront. Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, arguably the best defender in Europe, would form the heart of a defence that is the best in Europe. Patrince Evara at left-back would have the tough job of marking Lionel Messi while Ryan Giggs, Michael Carrick and Anderson could be the creative minds in the midfield. South Korean star Ji-Sung Park is on verge to becoming the first Asian to play in a Champions League final.

Top Players

For Barcelona, the top players are Henry, Eto'o, Messi, Xavi and Iniesta and for Manchester United, the best players are Ronaldo, Rooney, Vidic and Ferdinand.

Subhankar Mondal