The countdown is well and truly on for the biggest game in the European football calendar this season, with Manchester United ready to try to stop the might of 10/11 favourites Barcelona in the Champions League final.
United and Barca contested the final back in 2008-09 in Rome but it was a night to forget for the Red Devils after they fell behind to an early Samuel Eto’o strike and never really recovered their composure.
Superstar Lionel Messi put the game to bed 20 minutes from time as United failed to cause too much trouble for keeper Victor Valdes and his patched-up defence which included Manchester City’s FA Cup hero Yaya Toure as Dani Alves was suspended forcing captain Carles Puyol to right-back.
The final two years ago was set up for Cristiano Ronaldo, who at the time was on the verge of a switch to Real Madrid, but he failed to deliver in a free role as Sir Alex Ferguson opted to push Wayne Rooney out to the left wing.
Ferguson’s reasoning – and who can really criticise the all-conquering United boss? – was to pack the midfield and try to use the pace of Ronaldo to expose Puyol, Toure, Sylvinho and Gerard Pique, but it simply did not work.
Michael Carrick and Anderson failed to get to grips with Messi, Xavi and Andres Iniesta so much so that Carlos Tevez was introduced for the Brazilian at half time, to little effect though in the grand scheme of things.
Ferguson is wily enough a character to have taken all of those points on board while he will also be contemplating the fitness of Scotland captain Darren Fletcher who missed the 2009 final through suspension.
Ferguson trusts the all-action midfielder in the big games – seemingly in contrast to laidback striker Dimitar Berbatov – but his countryman has only just returned from a medium-term lay-off through illness and so will need to be monitored this week.
It is something of paradox that for all the money United have lavished in the transfer market over recent years that Fletcher, who came through the ranks, could be key to Saturday’s midfield battle.
He might not win the game but he can certainly have a say, if fit, in how long United are able to stay in it which would give them a chance of overturning the odds (United 3/1 – 9-0 Minutes).
And perhaps there is a danger of over-stating Barcelona’s chances at Wembley based solely on two years ago in the Italian capital as the season before United accounted for the Catalans in the semi-finals without Frank Rijkaard’s side scoring a goal.
“We showed fantastic concentration in those two ties,” said Ferguson. “That is the key for us. It is an important issue in terms of Saturday.”
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