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Manchester United ... Barcelona ... the UEFA Champions League final. What more really needs to be said?
Wednesday night in Rome (ESPN, 2:25 PM ET) the best team in Europe will be crowned in a contest pitting the champions of what are considered the two top professional leagues in the world -- the (English) Premier League and La Liga. Oh right, there's the juicy subplot between two of the world's best players, too, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi squaring off at the Stadio Olimpico.
United, the defending champions, are gunning to become the competition's first back-to-back winner since the great Gullit/van Basten/Rijkaard AC Milan club won the then European Cup in 1989 and 1990. It's also the 10th anniversary of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's famous late winner that gave Manchester United the 1999 Champions League and its historic 'treble'.
Barcelona last won the competition in 2006, beating Arsenal 2-1 in France on a pair of goals in the final 15 minutes. Oddly enough, the Catalan giants are nearly a new side from that squad that featured on the Stade de France. Gone is match-winner Juliano Belletti, Deco, Mark van Bommel and Ronaldinho, etc. The only holdovers for Barcelona that should play in both matches are Samuel Eto'o, Carlos Puyol, keeper Victor Valdes and Andres Iniesta, who came on as a sub in 2006 to help set up the winner.
However, Iniesta -- the hero who won the semifinal with his late winner against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge -- is fighting a late fitness test. So is striker Thierry Henry, who featured for Arsenal in the 2006 final.
Meanwhile, Manchester United breathes a sigh of relief as defender Rio Ferdinand was declared well enough to play, as he'll team with partner Nemanja Vidic is the center of the Red Devils defense.
Something to keep in mind is that four of the eight Champions League final this decade have been decided by penalties, including last year's final between Manchester United and Chelsea in Moscow. Ronaldo admitted Tuesday that United have practiced penalties ahead of the final, though it's nearly impossible to simulate the tension and drama of a spot kick to decide the biggest game of the year in a practice scenario.
One thing to look out for is if Manchester Uniter manager Sir Alex Ferguson opts to follow the pattern that Chelsea's Guus Hiddink did in the first leg of its semifinal against Barcelona, namely the Blues packed it in trying to bottle up the lanes around the box that Barca love to operate inside. Of course, that tactic almost proved effective in a two-leg affair, so it's doubtful that United will attempt to play for 120 minutes and penalties.
With left back Patrice Evra, United do possess a player that can run and mark the Barcelona outside players. The other place to watch the United lineup is whether Ferguson opts for the old hand Paul Scholes to pair with Michael Carrick in the middle of the field or will Anderson get the nod to slow down the Barca midfield?
Whatever Ferguson chooses, he has plenty of options on the bench and can adjust as the game progresses, with Carlos Tevez -- in perhaps his last game for United -- a possible game changer.
Barcelona's Pep Guardiola probably needs to wait and see on the fitness of his players. If Iniesta is unable to play, he might opt for a more defensive midfield, with Xavi leading the attack. If Barcelona win, it would cap quite a 365 days for Xavi, as he'd lead both Spain to Euro 2008 glory and Barca to the Champions League. Barcelona also must cope with the suspensions of outside backs Dani Alves and Eric Abidal, who are out through yellow card suspension.
One thing that Guardiola must stress with his team is that it takes its chances when presented, instead of trying for the perfect goal. A goal is a goal at this point. Messi, if he is to become the World Player of the Year, must assert himself on this match.
This one has drama written all over it and if I had to make a guess, United wins ... once again in penalty kicks. The Red Devils have a little more strength and the ability to change as the game goes on. Barcelona needs a flash of brilliance, or more to win, and that's hard to count on.
