Source: Telegraph
Manchester United v Barcelona: Park JiSung is first Asian in Champions League final
Manchester United's South Korean winger Park Ji-sung will become the first Asian to play in a Champions League final.
Ground-breaking: Manchester United's South Korean midfield Park Ji-Sung is the first Asian to play in the Champions League final Photo: EPA
Sir Alex Ferguson named Park in the starting line-up against Barcelona for the game at Rome's Olympic Stadium on Wednesday, a year after he was surprisingly left out of the squad in last season's final against Chelsea in Moscow.
Park, who scored in the second leg of United's victory against Arsenal in the semi-fina last month, was also the first Korean to win the Premier League, and was in the United line-up that beat Ecuador's Liga de Quito to win the Fifa Club World Cup in Japan in December.
Ferguson has started with John O'Shea at right-back as promised, with Rio Ferdinand declared fit to play after three worrying weeks suffering from a knee injury. Up front Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney lead the line for the defending champions.
However club captain Gary Neville is not even on the bench for Manchester United, with Rafael da Silva covering the full-back positions.
Meanwhile Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola was able to name Andres Iniesta and Thierry Henry who both recovered in time for the game that could seal a treble for Guardiola at his first season in charge of the Catalans.
Team details
Manchester United (4-4-2): Van der Sar; O'Shea, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Park, Carrick, Anderson, Giggs; Ronaldo, Rooney.
Subs: Kuszczak, Rafael Da Silva, Evans, Nani, Scholes, Berbatov, Tevez.
Barcelona (4-3-3): Valdes; Puyol, Toure, Pique, Silvinho; Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta; Messi, Eto'o, Henry.
Subs: Pinto, Caceres, Muniesa, Keita, Gudjohnsen, Bojan, Pedrito.
Referee: M Busacca (Switzerland)
