Champions League - Barcelona v Manchester United

27 May 2009

Preview By Tipster Jumbo (New Zealand)

Well it's finally here the last of the Major Football matches for this Season and to make it even better the combatants will be the two best sides in Europe without a doubt as the Holders Manchester United from England take on the Spanish Champions Barcelona...

Everyone seems to be thinking that this game will be an end to end attacking affair with United being on top at the end of 90mins,now while I don't disagree that united are firm favs heading into this match as Barca have some real troubles with their defence but the fact is that Barca still have a wealth of attacking talent and will be in this game right up to their eyeballs even while missing 3 first choice players in defence,Eric Abidal and Daniel Alves both picked up suspensions in the last round, whilst Rafael Marquez is injured and will be replaced by former United player Gerard Pique. Keita has already said that he will not be at left-back so it seems like that Sylvinho will be chosen, whilst Carles Puyol could be shifted to right-back, with Yaya Toure in the middle. So a fair bit of shuffling for Barcelona but they still have the luxury of having proven Goal scorers in Messi,Eto�o, Iniesta and Henry in their ranks and can score goals against any defence so I expect United to play more of a waiting game to not lets themselves play from behind.

United on the other hand come into this match with everyone available for them apart from Darren Fletcher which at least gives Ferguson the chance to use his best options in each position across the park and that will serve them well,they have had the wobbles over the last month but like any champion side they rose to the occasion and won when they needed to and looked great in doing so,over the last month and a half Manchester United have had games where they have looked out of sorts and have even been level or behind entering the crucial stages of their games but have found a way to win,but the teams they have faced with the exception of both Liverpool and Chelsea are not in the same class as this Barca side and even missing their defence are still deadly up front and that will always be a worry to any side even United.

This game could go either way and unless you have a biased opinion on this game and support either of these two clubs you are probably in United's favour,but as for me I don't support either of these teams and couldn't care less who wins it,what I do think I see is two teams with a shitload of talent in front of goal and one side down in defence taking on a side who have been great in that aspect all season long however that is replaced by the fact that that side is playing against a side who have knocked in goals all season long and can score at will should they have to...I am not expecting there to be much in this game at all and 1 lone goal could decide it,United and Barcelona have the talent to win this game and so we will all have to wait and see who is victorious come games end...I reckon 1-1 or 1-0 to either side will be the outcome and as such I'm going to put a small bet on this game ending in a draw and maybe going all the way to Penalties where either side could win it...Good Luck.