Well, it’s almost here! The Champions League pits the best club teams from around Europe against each other in a Soccer Battle Royale. This year, the top two teams were Manchester United and Barcelona, and both were expected to be in the Final. Truly a competition between the best, the dream Final is just days away.
Manchester United has nearly clinched the Premier League title after a clutch victory against second-place Chelsea last Sunday. Similarly, Barcelona wrapped up their La Liga title this Wednesday after running away from Real Madrid over the last few weeks. And while the Italian Serie A and the German Bundesliga are usually strong contenders, the Spanish and English leagues have been the strongest this season.
Barcelona has been touted as perhaps the best club team ever assembled, with an All-Star crew led by the amazing Lionel Messi. With most of the World Cup-winning Spanish team dispersed between the top two Spanish club teams, Barcelona has become a powerhouse. With finesse and a possession-heavy style, Barcelona are fun to watch for soccer purists, and are rightfully the favorites.
Manchester United, on the other hand, came into this season trying to recapture the Premier League, as well as make up for a disappointing Champions League campaign in 2010. They had early magic from the likes of Berbatov and Nani, then Chicharito burst on the goal-scoring scene and Wayne Rooney re-emerged to his usual level of play. After a short struggle, United are back to their winning ways and are perhaps the deepest team in Europe.
Why Barcelona will win: They are the best team. Won La Liga with relative ease, have the best player in the world (Messi), stay cool under pressure and beat Manchester United in this very game two years ago. Simply put, if they get an early lead, they can frustrate United into silly mistakes and take the title home.
Why Manchester United will win: They have the best manager (maybe ever) in Sir Alex Ferguson, who will not let his team falter on the big stage. Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney have played like veterans in leading young players Chicharito and Antonio Valencia into surprising stardom. The defense (Vidic and Ferdinand) is healthy. Finally, the Edwin Van Der Sar swan song will provide strong motivation.
Key Matchups:
Lionel Messi vs. Nemanja Vidic—Will the Serb keep the World’s Best Player under check? While that’s nearly impossible, Vidic will need to play strong defense without allowing too many close-range set pieces.
Barcelona backline vs. United set pieces—Perhaps the most glaring weakness for Barcelona is their relative lack of height, and against a taller, more aggressive lineup than they’re used to, Gerard Pique and company will have their hands full.
The Midfield Battle—Will Ryan Giggs, Michael Carrick, and friends be able to compete with Xavi, Iniesta, and Busquets? You may laugh at that, but United’s midfield and defense are rarely caught out of position and will have to be at the top of their game to disrupt the ball-controlling midfield of Barcelona.
Prediction: Since I’ll be rooting for Manchester United, this is tough. Barcelona are the favorites, and we see great soccer, but United take this one, 2-1, in regulation. Remember, you heard it here first (unless I’m completely wrong).
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