So whos going to win this one then?

Even though Barca have key players missing, still going to be a great game!

Oh.. this a story of what my mate told me about his two mates from last seasons final.

Quote:

2 mates of mine (Chelsea fanatics from up North) flew a week before the final to Latvia - Riga, had 4 nights in Riga, then got a return train journey to Moscow......WITH NO TICKETS for the final and sat for 14 hours on a train 1 WAY ! They then slept on a boat for an equivalent £150 per night each for 2 nights ! Managed to buy tickets to the game in the Chelsea end right on the half way line they said but at a cost of £900 each !!!!!!!!!!!! MAD HATTERS OR WHAT ! then we all know the score Hhaha They then decide not to pay £150 each for another nights kip and they get absolutely trashed and do an all nighter before jumping back on the 14 hour train to RIGA ! this is when they obviously caught up on their sleep. Get to RIGA and then have a further night in latvia before flight back home !! One hell of a journey to see your team at one hell of a cost ! They tell me that they spent just shy of £2000 each in a week.

As for the game it's self, United will miss Fletcher (can't believe I am saying that) but they can play Scholes or Anderson and wont miss a beat. Barcelona will struggle at the back with out Alves, Márquez and Abidal. They are going to have to move Ya Ya Toure to centre back and they will miss him as a defensive holding midfielder anchoring the back four. Iniesta and Henry are both struggling to be fit, although I expect them both to be able to play, who knows how healthy they really are?

I am actually very confident that United will win and will be shocked if they don't.

I just cannot see United losing this one tbh.. They have too much depth, and Barca have their key players missing, if they win it will certainly be against the odds. Fletcher out, another world class player in, as you say Red.

I do, however.. hope it is a close final.

Wow, we embarassed ourselves today. As soon as the first goal went in we bottled it all over the pitch. Such a shameful way to end the season.

No doubt the papers will be full of Messi in the morning cos he scored his token goal (I can almost invisage the Sun going with "Messi-merising", but the hero was Iniesta. We lost the game in midfield, where Anderson was non existant and Carrick will never have a worse game for Utd.

Gave the ball away cheaply in the centre, the only problem. As we attacked down the flanks (rarely) we cut Barca open only to be found wanting several times with final balls. Barca popped the ball about nicely but that was to be expected and we could have competed if we had been similarly competent in possession.

Hard to be disappointed with the result and congrats to Barca really, who thoroughly deserved it. Gave us a lesson in how not to bottle it on the big day. Perhaps we bigged up the occasion just that little too much as several of our players (O'Shea who was devastated by old man Henry and Park who is just frankly shit) showed why they shouldnt wear the shirt.

We won all we won this season playing shit, and Barca have won everything they have won playing well. It showed today.

The manner in which Barçelona retrieved the ball is brilliant. That is a part to their game which makes them the best and that was what won them the game today.

Iniesta was brilliant, United's midfield lacked ideas they seem to have no plan to attack this supposedly weak and second rate defence. Barcelona didnt let United play to their game plan and it ended up being a mismatch. Not too sure how much difference Fletcher would have made but not sure if you can take that into account after the game.

Platini will be happy

Hats off to Barcelona, after the first 7 or 8 minutes they controlled the game. They keep possession with short accurate passes and just passed United off the park. With Giggs non existent and Carrick having a howler of a game Iniesta and Xavi in midfield totalled dominated this game. It was a poor performance by United today, and Barcelona were at the top of the game and fully deserved the win.

Disappointing end to a strange season, where I felt United only played at the top of the game a handful of times, unfortunately today was not one of those times.

Like people have said, for the first 7/8 minutes we were good but after the goal there was no way back. We never looked like scoring, we couldn't defend and we were played off the park by Barcelona. Congratulations to Barca because they deserved it.

Xavi and Iniesta are absolute class. If only we could get Gerrard and Lampard playing like them for England.

I did think United would win, i was shocked in the manner that Barca won, apart from the 1st ten minutes, they absolutely battered United. The front 5 of Henry, Messi, Eto, Iniesta and Xavi is the best partnership going forward in the world. The way they move the ball is amazing. Especially the middle 2. I watch La Liga alot, but i did not at all think they would beat United how they did.

99 goals between the 3 forwards this season

I watched highlights this morning before going to a auction and listened to talk sport while driving to n from the auction.

First impressions - Terrible set up of the united team - thats down to SAF - No Carlos to sort it out.

Anderson was poor Carrick off colour (Being nice) Player of the season Giggs (I just get back up off the floor from laughing) was a very poor choice of player to play in the middle of the park (Some United fan rang in and said united were handicapped with missing Fletcher - WOW). Rooney wasted - Fergie got away with Ronaldo through the middle against Arsenal - wasnt really much of a factor last night - Vidic seems to have very poor games against better teams - was Rio ball watching for their 2nd goal - I think it a bit harsh - Park, should he be starting in a champions league final?

Barcelona looked good - who everyone agreed on Talk sport, shouldnt be there (I was amazed) - because they where allowed to boss the midfield - Hiddink showed how to sort them out - people on radio said Fergie never learnt from Hiddink - I happen to think United dont have the personel to play like Chelsea - others said thats not what Man Utd are about - They have to play we will score more than you - Well thats a failing of the coaching staff if their team is one trick ponies.

The Talk Sport guys were asked by a Liverpool fan who called in, if this Man Utd team is over rated, voicing the clubs they have faced in the last 2 CL to make it to the final not being the highest quality. He stated Man Utd have avoided English teams outside of the poor Arsenal side this season n being totally blasted off the pitch in Moscow (Lou Mcari agreed) till winning on penaltys. They played a Barca team under construction last season plus Lyon n Roma, hardly worring. Andy Townsend said thats the luck of the draw and they can only beat who was put infront of them, but agreed it was a soft set of fixtures. While the other feller, I dont know his name - Everton fan - said for his mind, its obvious to see United have benefited by the managerial (self inflicted) problems at Stamford Bridge - with now evidence after the two clubs have come up against the best in europe that maybe the Champions of England are not the best "team" when both clubs are under the control of a top manager. (He also said this Barca win will always be tainted by what happened in the semi-final - made me laugh that - like anyone else cares outside of Chelsea fans)

Lastly - how smug did that Snail eating Frog look after the game dishing out cuddles to anyone to do with Barcelona?

I think they missed Hargreaves more than anyone - Fergie's response to Iniesta and Xavi was lets take out a midfielder and give them some more room.

Barçelona were narrow because of the suspensions to the full backs and United didnt need to worry about width but the 4-3-3 didnt work. It works against weaker and less organised opposition but not against teams of Barça's calibre. Barçelona's 2 middle pair doing double work and to perfection. United must also be disappointed that their midfielders did not do well enough in possession and it was a mixture of poor ball retention and good work by the Barça two that led to that.

It would be interesting to see Utd supporters preferred line up before the game.

The difference was the two midfields, one that had a clue while the other didnt. Though many wil point out Utd's superior defence was poor on the two goals.

A question posed to me by a German freind of mine was can English clubs (now) only overcome Barçelona over a two legged tie rather than a one off game?