Manchester United v Barcelona preview

26 May 2009 11:08
Barcelona v Manchester United Kick-off: Wed May 27, 7.45pm, Olympic Stadium, Rome, Italy TV: Sky Sports 1, Sky Sports HD1, ITV1, ITV HD Radio: BBC Radio 5 Live Touchline duel: Sir Alex Ferguson v Pep Guardiola The meeting of Ferguson and Guardiola has been characterised in some quarters as the grandmaster against the callow novice - and the gulf in managerial experience is enormous. At 33, Guardiola is 29 years Ferguson’s junior. Ferguson is in his 23rd year in charge of United, while Guardiola is in his first year in charge at the Nou Camp. However, having already secured the Spanish league title and Copa del Rey, the Catalan has yet to put a foot wrong in the dug out and has thus earned the right to go toe-to-toe with Ferguson for European football’s biggest prize. Guardiola has lifted the trophy as a player, back in 1992 with Barcelona and so knows what it feels like to taste success at this level. Ferguson attempts to match Bob Paisley’s record of having won three continental titles and should he do that will add further to the belief that he is the greatest club manager of all time. Despite their differences the pair share a footballing philosophy built of swift passing movements without sacrificing defensive steel and so the scene is set for a purist’s dream final. Ferguson’s respect for Guardiola is such that, back in 2001, he even initiated talks about signing the player, though his inquiries came to nothing. Three key battles: Rio Ferdinand v Samuel Eto’o If Ferdinand is fit to play United’s chances of success are vastly improved with his strength, pace and reading of the game more than a match for the direct goal threat that Eto’o poses. Twenty-nine goals in 35 league matches in Spain this season tells you all you need to know about the Cameroonian’s predatory instinct but Ferdinand will relish the challenge. Lionel Messi v Patrice Evra Barcelona are anything other than a one-man team but in Messi they possess the best player on the planet. The gifted Argentine will be stationed out on the right, but prone to cut inside onto his left foot as he dribbles or looks for short passing movements, so Evra will need to be on his game for the full 90 minutes to shackle him. He did it last year in the semi-finals, though Messi has become even better since then. Cristiano Ronaldo v Sylvinho Sir Alex Ferguson may elect to deploy Ronaldo as a winger rather than a centre forward in Rome to exploit the weakness on Barcelona’s left side of defence. The former Arsenal defender Sylvinho is long past his best and in a straight duel between these two you would expect Ronaldo to come out on top almost every time. Team details: Manchester United (possible, 4-4-2): Van der Sar; O'Shea, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Park, Carrick, Anderson, Ronaldo; Rooney, Berbatov. Barcelona (possible, 4-3-3): Valdes; Sylvinho, Toure, Pique, Puyol; Xavi, Hleb, Iniesta; Messi, Eto'o, Henry. Referee: Massimo Busacca is 40 and from Monte Carasso in the southern, Italian-speaking part of Switzerland. Uefa.com says: "Busacca has been an international referee since 1999 and has officiated 77 Uefa matches. He has taken charge of 32 Uefa Champions League matches, six this season. "Among others, he officiated at the quarter-final return leg between Porto and Manchester United in Porto and the knockout round return leg between Panathinaikos and Villarreal in Athens. He also refereed the 2006/07 Uefa Cup final in Glasgow between Espanyol and Sevilla. "A company director and keen skier, Busacca has also refereed various top national-team matches, including the Euro 2008 semi-final between Germany and Turkey and the 2006 World Cup round two match between Argentina and Mexico." Assistant referees: Matthias Arnet (Swi) and Francesco Buragina (Swi). Fourth official: Claudio Circhetta (Swi). Who's saying what? Sir Alex Ferguson: “We have negatives in the game that surface every year in all different ways. When we get a game of football that gives the real story of football then we are all lifted by it. Football always needs a boost. Manchester United and Barcelona can do that in this final.’ “The players that Barcelona and Manchester United have suggests a great final. We are playing a team with a fantastic philosophy of football, a great history. I watched the game against Real Madrid, an absolutely magnificent performance, and I said to myself: 'Christ, we have to play them’ but then Chelsea showed [in narrowly losing the semi] they can be 'beaten’. I take some encouragement from that.’’ Pep Guardiola: "This is the most important match of my life as a player and a coach. We have our way of playing but there are other ways of playing that are equally valid. So we don't feel superior. We are just going to focus on our tactics." Lionel Messi: "If we play as we have done all year then we will have a great chance to win. Manchester United have a very similar style to us, playing with the ball. They know how to counter well with speed and they are clinical. "There are not favourites, but they are the ones who are defending the title so perhaps they are just ahead. For us, it has been a magnificent year, but we still have one big test left. Being so close to history gives us great motivation." Rio Ferdinand: "Defending so deep against such talented players can be dangerous. But we are capable of doing both (attacking and defending). That is the strength we have as a squad and a team. "It will be difficult whoever plays against him (Messi), he is a fantastic player with great control but we've done it before." Jordi Cruyff: "Like the old fox that he (Ferguson) is, he will have a surprise prepared to beat Barca. In my time at Old Trafford he used to make incredible decisions and if he used an unexpected player he would usually get it right. He is unpredictable, but his gambles almost always work out." Marcel Desailly: "For the players it would be something special to retain the Champions League. You have all that pressure to deal with and have been working all year to get there. "If you look at the two teams, they are both full of exceptionally gifted players. But Barcelona have a bit extra. They can hold their shape from the beginning to the end. They are the ones I think will win." Betting: The bookies are finding this one as difficult to call as the rest of us and the two teams are pretty evenly matched in the 90-minute market, with Barcelona 15/8 and United 7/4 with Betfair. There is every chance we will be given an extra 30 minutes and the draw is priced at 12/5. Should you fancy a flutter on United taking it to the wire again and winning on penalties there is a widespread 11/1 for that outcome, with 12/1 for Barcelona to win in a shoot-out. if you are a born optimist who fancies a thrilling game to live long in the memory with someone making themselves an instant legend for their club you might want to take up the offer of 25/1 on there being a hat-trick scored on the night. Statistics: Previous competitive meetings: • This will be the fourth time that the Stadio Olimpico has hosted a Champions League/European Cup final. • Of the previous three finals, two have been won by English sides (both Liverpool) and two have needed penalties to find a winner, including one of Liverpool's wins. • United are the first defending champions to reach a final in the Champions League since Juventus in 1997 • United looking to become the first team to retain the title since AC Milan in 1990. • Four of the last seven finals have ended in penalty shootouts. • This is the fifth successive season that the Champions League final has involved an English side. • This will be United’s fourth final in the Champions League/European Cup. They have won all of their previous finals - 4-1 v Benfica in 1967/68, 2-1 v Bayern in 1998/99 and they won on penalties against Chelsea last term following a 1-1 draw. • Barcelona have played in five Champions League/European Cup finals prior to this match – winning twice and losing on three occasions. • These two sides have met on nine previous occasions, with United managing three wins to Barcelona’s two. • They have met in one final prior to this game, in 1990/91 when United defeated Barcelona 2-1 in the Cup Winners Cup Final. • Barcelona have only managed to win once in their last eight Champions League fixtures against an English side. • The Catalan side have scored just one goal in their last four European games against a team from England. • United are unbeaten in their last seven Champions League meetings with Spanish sides. • In their last six games against a side from Spain in the Champions League, they have only scored one goal, but have kept a clean sheet in each match. • United are currently on an all-time record 25 game unbeaten run in the Champions League. • Barcelona are six games unbeaten in Europe, but have lost once in the Champions League already this season – 3-2 v Shakthar Donetsk (H). • United have kept a clean sheet in 13 of their last 18 Champions League matches. • Lionel Messi is the leading scorer in this season's Champions League, with eight goals to his name. • Barcelona have scored more goals (30) and had more shots (165) than any other side in the competition. • Xavi has managed more assists (6) and has created more chances (36) than any other player in the Champions League this season so far. • Edwin Van der Sar has kept more clean sheets than any other goalkeeper in the Champions League this season – seven. • Manchester United are one of only three sides to have appeared in a European Cup/Champions League final on more than one occasion and have a 100 per cent record (1968, 1999, 2008). The other sides are Nottingham Forest (1979, 1980) and Porto (1987, 2004). • Only two people have won the Champions League with the same club as a player then later as a coach. Miguel Muñoz of Real Madrid did it as a player in 1955–56 and 1956–57, before winning as a coach in 1959–60 and 1965–66. Carlo Ancelotti did it as an A.C. Milan player in 1988–89 and 1989–90 before coaching them to victory in 2002–03 and 2006–07. Pep Guardiola can become the third, having won the competition as a player with Barcelona in 1991-92. • Barcelona had to qualify for the Champions League group stages this season – defeating Polish side Wilsa Krakow 4-1 on aggregate. • United have kept a clean sheet in eight of their 12 Champions League games so far this season and have conceded only once in their last three matches – this coming from the penalty spot.

Source: Telegraph