Tag Archives: Final

Graham Hunter: Don’t bet against Messi and this 12/1 shot in Saturday’s Champions League Final

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Strip away all the back-stories: Buffon and Pirlo back in Berlin where they won the World Cup; Suárez facing a tense re-match with Evra and Chiellini; Xavi’s last game for Barcelona – and what you get is your core story – ‘Do you dare bet against Messi?’

Football, the ultimate team sport, is once again under his thumb.

Since January 4 this year Juve, as a squad, have scored 60 times in all three of their competitions.

Since January 4 Messi, alone, has scored 36 and given 14 goal assists – it’s completely remarkable.

Lionel Messi

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He ripped up the Copa del Rey final last weekend with two beautiful goals and a clever part in the third.

When the big games arrive – so does Lionel Andrés.

One of my early interviews with him was Autumn 2006 when he was admitting that it had been a flash of temper which made him refuse to go down to the pitch in Paris and celebrate with his team mates after Barça beat Arsenal in the Champions League final.

Not being named in the match squad by Frank Rijkaard had absolutely infuriated him.

He closed that subject with a:

God willing I’ll be back to lift that trophy a few times in the future.

Well, he’s had the opportunity twice and in both 2009 and 2011 he took that opportunity by scoring past Edwin Van Der Sar twice.

Not a bad record. (Ex Juventus keeper Van Der Sar was 38 when he first conceded to Messi in a Champions League final, Gigi Buffon is 37).

But add this context. Messi has played in 23 ‘final’ matches for Barcelona – 12 ‘one-off’ finals and 11 other ‘home-and-away’ finals. 23 matches … 20 Messi goals.

Of those 18 finals he’s only lost three.

Lionel Messi beats Xabo Alonso

And it might guide you to know that the only one-game finals Barcelona have lost with Messi in their side are the ones where he hasn’t scored – the 2006 Spanish Supercup and the Spanish Copa finals of 2011 and 2014.

Stop Messi and you have a chance – that’s the message.

During 2015 he’s shown his big-game mentality. Goals home and away against the reigning champions – Atlético. Goals in key matches against Valencia, Sevilla, Athletic and the Catalan derby with Espanyol plus a nifty assist for the first goal against Madrid in the Clásico.

Notwithstanding all that – IF you want to oppose him, oppose Barça then perhaps there’s a gentle hint.

He’s gone from having scored eight in six Champions League games during the 2014 group stage to having scored twice in six games in the 2015 knock-out matches.

Okay – he was just stunning despite not scoring in the home win over Manchester City

And the two he did get, plus an assist, were in the epic 3-0 semi-final win over Bayern.

But, figure it as you wish, there’s been a drop-off in him hitting the net in the Champions League this calendar year.

Champions League Final

So, how do you rate the test that lies in front of him?

He’s never played Juventus competitively, never played Italy either. Thus it is that despite he and Buffon having played well over 1500 competitive club and international matches between them they’ve never gone toe-to-toe.

Who wins – the good big one or the great little one? Lucky it’s not boxing.

Might Buffon (below) in any way intimidate Messi – it’s not so ludicrous?

Messi’s penalty misses tend to come against keepers he thinks loom large in the goal. Something he once told me about Abbiatti at Milan.

Gianluigi-Buffon

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Speaking of Milan, Messi’s faced the defensive strategies of Juve coach Maxi Allegri eight times in the Champions League when he’s been in charge of the Rossoneri. Eight times, eight goals.

Where else might there be some fun? I pointed out last week that Barcelona have just begun to drift a little from nearly an entire season of excellence defending set plays or the ball into the box from open play.

But conceding like that to Bayern, Deportivo La Coruña and now Athletic [Iñaki Williams] in the Copa final tends to indicate that this is where Juve will surely concentrate. Chiellini, Pogba, Vidal, Morata all look like goalscorer candidates.

Andrea-Pirlo-840

Of the two golden veterans, Pirlo (above) and Xavi, only the Italian is sure to start. But is Iniesta fully fit after his calf problem? Might Xavi get some game time? Probably, yes.

Pirlo scoring a direct free kick ain’t the daftest idea, Pirlo perhaps winning the MVP [if there’s a market on that] isn’t outright crazy.

Xavi said last week:

I adore watching Pirlo play, we’ve been facing each other for club and country since we were kids.

They’ll probably be playing together in Qatar from next season.

Xavi-840-x-500

So, Xavi? Well he has a remarkable record. Goal assists in each of the two Champions League finals in which he’s played. A goal assist in each of the two European Championship Finals in which he’s played.

A goal and a goal-assist in two of this three Copa Finals against Athletic Bilbao, a goal against Juventus the last time they faced each other, a goal assist in the World Cup semi final, a goal and an assist in the World Club Cup final.

If he’s on the pitch at any stage on Saturday night then you might want to back him as an anytime goalscorer.

This is quite possibly Barcelona’s tightest final since Sampdoria took them to extra-time in 1992.

I reckon both teams to score. Then either 2-1 Barcelona or 2-2 and penalties. But if Messi wants it, if Messi performs – don’t back against him. It’s that simple.

Graham’s best bets:

  • Both teams to score and Barcelona to win @13/5
  • Barcelona to win 2-1 @ 12/1. 

 

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Final day drama in Football League

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It’s the final weekend of games in League One and League Two and there are still promotion and relegation issues to be resolved in the final 90 minutes, with the play-off pictures still to be sorted. Here’s our guide to the most important games from the two divisions that could make or break a club’s season.

Steel City Battle for Automatic Promotion

The second promotion spot behind Charlton is between Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United, and both face already-relegated teams on the final day. Wednesday, who hold a one-point advantage that ensures their fate is in their own hands, welcome Wycombe to Hillsborough and you would expect a promotion party come final whistle (Sheff Wed 2/9, draw 5/1, Wycombe 12/1 Match Betting).

United held the upper hand for most of the season, but it’s a long trip to face Exeter and Danny Wilson will hope to end with a win that means either they take advantage of an Owls slip, or go into the play-offs with some confidence (Exeter 9/2, draw 16/5, United 4/7 Match Betting).

The Play-Off Picture – 3 into 1 Doesn’t Fit

Stevenage are in pole position to get the one play-off spot remaining and a home win over Bury would set them up nicely (Stevenage 4/9, draw 10/1, Bury 6/1). Any slip-up could let Notts County – only behind on goal difference and who welcome Colchester to Meadow Lane – take advantage, while Carlisle in eighth are only a point behind and a win for them at Oldham, coupled with some help from elsewhere, could see them jump to seventh.

None of the three sides in contention are benefitting from easy matches on the final day, but Stevenage are without a win in four and it could be Notts County who seal that final play-off position as a draw could be enough (Notts County 8/13, draw 14/5, Colchester 9/2).

Triple Threat for League Two Automatic Promotion

Another three-way tussle exists down in League Two as Crawley Town (81 points), Torquay United (81) and Southend United (80) are battling to get that automatic spot behind Swindon and Shrewsbury.

Crawley boast a superior goal difference over Torquay and a win at Accrington (Stanley 9/2, draw 14/5, Crawley 8/13) should guarantee their spot, but they did go down 3-0 to struggling Hereford last time out. Torquay face that Hereford side at Edgar Street, with their opponents desperate to get the points as they look to leapfrog Barnet and save their football league skins.

Southend face already-relegated Macclesfield and would need help from elsewhere to get third spot, but it looks like Crawley’s to lose and Torquay’s to win.

One Play-Off Spot Up For Grabs

Crewe look on course to secure the final play-off spot going and victory at home to Aldershot would seal an extended campaign for them. Any mistakes and Oxford will be desperate to take advantage, as they travel to Port Vale boasting a superior goal difference.

The three-point gap Crewe have on Oxford means it’s in their hands and a point should be enough for them (Crewe 4/6, draw 11/4, Aldershot 4/1).

Who Will Drop Out of the Football League?

Perennial strugglers Barnet (Burton Albion 2/1, draw 5/2, Barnet 5/4) are battling with Hereford to avoid dropping out of the Football League and both have chosen the final weeks to find some form after dismal runs before that.

A 4-0 win at Underhill over AFC Wimbledon means Barnet hold a two-point advantage over the Bulls, who had won 3-0 at promotion-chasing Crawley. It seems to be an annual event that Barnet are fighting for their lives on the final day but they could benefit from the fact Hereford face a Torquay side looking for the points to get them the final automatic promotion spot.

The final fixtures normally throw up some surprises, but expect no shock as Barnet retain their League Two spot and Hereford to wave goodbye to the Football League.

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Blues to join Reds in final

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After Saturday’s superb first semi-final, which saw Liverpool beat local rivals Everton to claim a place in the FA Cup final, Tottenham and Chelsea face each other on Sunday to decide who will return to Wembley to meet the Reds in May (Spurs 13/8, draw 23/10, Chelsea 7/4 – Match Betting).

As both Premier League games between the London sides have ended in draws this season, the two teams will be looking for the extra ingredient that will see them beat their opponents to keep their hopes of domestic silverware alive.

At the turn of the year, Tottenham looked as if they could win the Premier League title after staying in touch with both Manchester United and Manchester City at the top of the table, but they have struggled in recent weeks and have now dropped to fourth behind local rivals Arsenal.

They lost last time out against Norwich but the FA Cup is a totally different kettle of fish and they will be looking to win their first piece of silverware since capturing the League Cup in 1998.

Key to their chances of victory will undoubtedly be the performance of Dutch international Rafael van der Vaart (13/8 to score at any time) who, after starring in the early part of the campaign, has struggled recently. However, he always seems to perform on the big stage and his ability to play clever passes and unlock defences could make the difference.

The Blues are currently in a rich vein of form under interim boss Roberto di Matteo, having won four of their last five matches in all competitions.

They may have a mouth-watering Champions League semi-final tie with Barcelona on Wednesday but they will be desperate to beat their local rivals first. They will also have a number of players who will be looking to put in a strong display against Spurs to give themselves a chance of being included in the starting line-up for the clash against the Blaugrana.

Like Spurs, much of their attacking threat comes through their playmakers and Spanish international Juan Mata (15/8 to score at any time) could play a vital role in proceedings. Mata is a similar player to Van der Vaart so expect him to pop up all over the field as he looks to break down the Tottenham rearguard.

This looks almost too close to call but with captain John Terry fit and Chelsea being the form side, they should just sneak it 1-0. However, it’s guaranteed to be tight (Chelsea 13/2 to win 1-0).

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Toffees to sneak final place

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The FA Cup has once against thrown up a number of surprises this season but we are now at the semi-finals of the competition, with the first game at Wembley expected to be a cracker between Merseyside rivals Liverpool and Everton on Saturday (Liverpool 8/5, draw 9/4, Everton 9/5 Match Betting).

The two sides have both had fairly inconsistent seasons but know that going into a derby match, the form book goes out of the window and anything can happen when you’re playing not only for a place in the final, but also for local pride.

The Reds (5/2 FA Cup outright) have struggled in the league this year, with perhaps their best result coming in the 3-0 victory over the Toffees at in March. However, their ability to produce a performance out of nothing has suited them in the cup competitions and after winning the Carling Cup, are now targeting a famous double.

Boss Kenny Dalglish has come under criticism for his selection policy throughout this season but one thing is for sure, when captain Steven Gerrard (11/8 to score at anytime) plays, the Reds often succeed.

The influential skipper has once again missed a large part of the campaign through injury but has impressed when he has played, including scoring a hat-trick in the aforementioned win in the recent derby. Gerrard looks as if he is finally starting to gel with striker Luis Suarez and expect the England international to have a major impact on the outcome of this game.

Everton (7/2 FA Cup outright) have once again confounded the critics and despite a few shaky moments, manager David Moyes has once again proved that you don’t need heavy investment to build a solid Premier League team.

The Toffees currently sit seventh in the table, one place above their neighbours and will be confident of winning at Wembley after beating Sunderland 4-0 on Monday, a victory that extended their unbeaten streak in all competitions to five matches.

Their fine form has undoubtedly had a lot to do with the emergence of January signing Nikica Jelavic (11/8 to score at anytime) who has regularly impressed since his move from the SPL. The Croatian has netted four times in as many games and now looks to be justifying the hype that followed him after his transfer from Rangers.

In recent matches, Liverpool have looked shaky in defence, conceding a number of sloppy goals, and after being rested for the victory over the Black Cats, the in-form 26-year-old will certainly be raring to go and will fancy himself to get on the scoresheet.

Both sides will be desperate to win the game but having rested a number of key stars on Monday, Everton might just be fresher going into the match and could just sneak a single goal victory in an extremely tight encounter (Everton 7/1 to win 1-0).

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The Final Countdown

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The new Premier League season is just a matter of days away and that means it’s time to finalise your Fantasy Football team in order to take the competition to the cleaners (Manchester United – 13/8f – Premier League Outright 2011/12).

Picking your XI is not exactly a science, but it’s not far off the mark to suggest it’s probably one of your most important tasks this week in order to hit the ground running and set the early pace.

So who should you go with?  Allow us to suggest five star men who we feel will not let you down from the word go.

Safe Pair of Hands

Whatever people say, football is all about goals – scoring them and keeping them out. All that fancy-Dan stuff has secured Arsenal absolutely nothing for over half a decade in the Premier League.

Barcelona may well have swept all before them but that’s in La Liga which is a two-horse race and underlined by the fact third favourites this term, Valencia, are available at 50/1. So you’re going to need a safe pair of hands.

We’d love to go with Liverpool stopper Pepe Reina, however counting against him is a defence which is far from convincing so it’s got to be fellow Spaniard David De Gea at Manchester United.

Fair enough he conceded two against Manchester City in the Community Shield and doesn’t appear to understand too much English at this point, but rest assured United have the best defenders in the Premier League to protect him.

Fergie will also have him working flat-out on the lingo when he’s not rolling around in the mud on the training paddock.

Defensive Rock

While keeping goals out is the name of the game for keepers, defenders who weigh in with the odd strike or two are worth their weight in gold.

We can’t think of too many defenders who take set-pieces these days like Roberto Carlos, so it’s all about the men who get on the end of free-kicks and corners.

Step forward Tottenham’s William Gallas ,who may have drawn a blank last season, but who can get amongst it this term as 11/4 shots Spurs chase a return to the top four.

Midfield Dynamos

There are two men we’re looking for in the middle of the park – the kind of guys who drive you on from box to box where the game is won and lost.

For us, Spurs ace Gareth Bale is a no-brainer although he has a lot to live up to if he is going to repeat last season’s heroics.

But hopefully he will do and also provide the ammunition for Gallas to maraud forward for dead-ball situations.

We’re also going to go with Manchester United’s Nani who has stepped out of the shadows and is long overdue a big season for a Red Devils side which is arguably much stronger than last year’s vintage.

Hot Shot

Your main man up front is your talisman, the player who can get away with 89 minutes of dross if he comes up with a winner out of nothing.

Of course, he’s going to need decent service – see the inclusions of Bale and Nani – and we think someone like Liverpool’s Luis Suarez fits the bill.

However, he may not be quite ready for the big kick off after winning the Copa America earlier in the summer, so we need to look elsewhere.

Carlos Tevez, Fernando Torres and Dimitar Berbatov all have pedigree and are  – or were – worth well over £100m between them, however for differing reasons we have some reservations.

So the man we’ll take is Aston Villa’s Darren Bent, who has more than proven himself over the years and is guaranteed to start for Alex McLeish’s men.

Bent can be backed at 12/1 to finish the 2011/12 season as top scorer.

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Uruguay to edge unlikely Copa final

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Uruguay and Paraguay go head-to-head in an unlikely Copa America final in Buenos Aires on Sunday in what looks like being a bridge too far for underdogs Paraguay (Uruguay 4/11, Paraguay 2/1 – Outright winner).

Gerardo Martino’s side have actually yet to win a game in the whole tournament – having advanced through their group by drawing all three games before winning on penalties in both the quarter and semi-finals following goalless draws.

So, with that stat in mind, it is no surprise Uruguay, who have been the stand-out team in Argentina, are the hot favourites to lift the 42nd Copa America.

This has been an unpredictable competition though and Oscar Tabarez’s men will do well not to underestimate their opponents, who have built on last summer’s impressive showing at the World Cup and caught plenty of countries by surprise.

Built on a solid defence, which helped them past both Brazil and Venezuela in the knock-out stage, they know how to stifle more talented opposition.

The critics would say Paraguay also know how to stifle the game in general after successive 0-0 draws, but playing for penalties against a formidable Uruguay outfit could cost them dearly on Sunday.

They will certainly be hard to break down and Martino, who is forced to watch the game from the stands after being suspended following an on-field fracas in the aftermath of the semi-final win, will set them up with the emphasis firmly being on defence.

However, in Luis Suarez, Uruguay have a player who, on his day, can be unplayable and the Liverpool striker will be desperate for a goal to pick up the golden boot award as he sits tied with Sergio Aguero on three goals going into the final.

His strike-partner Diego Forlan has failed to hit the heights in Argentina so far, but he remains a top-quality striker and will be eager to show his true form in one of the biggest games in world football. Therefore, a punt on the Atletico Madrid man to score anytime at 11/8 is well worth a bet.

Paraguay may fancy their chances of keeping Uruguay at bay and taking the game to extra time when anything can happen but a narrow 1-0 win for Uruguay at 18/5 looks like a wise wager.

As has been the case with much of the tournament, don’t expect a cracker although, considering what’s at stake, neither of these two will be too concerned about that.

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Will Spain win Under-21 final?

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The 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship reaches its climax on Saturday with Switzerland playing Spain in the final. The Spaniards are sweeping all before them at full international level so can their young counterparts walk away with the trophy this weekend? (Spain 4/7 fav to win Match Betting)

It would be almost unthinkable for a Spanish side not to reach the final of a major tournament at present such is their dominance in the world game.

The senior side are both World Cup and European champions and it is now down to the youngsters to make it a hat-trick of titles.

The Spanish kicked off their campaign with a draw against England but that was just a blip en route to the semi-finals as they beat the Czech Republic 2-0 and took care of the Ukraine 3-0.

Deportivo de La Coruna star Adrian has been on fire for the favourites with two goals against the Czechs, while also bagging the third against Ukraine.

But he reserved his best for the semi-finals with an 89th-minute strike rescuing his side and forcing extra time against Belarus.

The 23-year-old then found the back of the net again and, with Jeffren also on target, they swept into the final to face the Swiss.

Adrian is a prolific goalscorer at international level and will be a key player for Luis Milla’s side as they attempt to claim the title.

Switzerland were even more impressive in the group stage of the event, winning all three of their matches with victories over Denmark, Iceland and Belarus (Swiss 11/4 to win Euro Champs outright).

They also needed extra time to reach the final, with Admir Mehmedi bagging the only goal of the game to set up the clash with Spain.

While Spain have relied on Adrian for their goals, Mehmedi has done the most damage for the Swiss with three strikes, and the Albanian-born hit-man will have to be watched on Saturday.

He was dropped after the first group game but clearly has the bit between his teeth and is looking to help his side secure their first European Championship in Aarhus.

The last time these two sides met at this level was in a play-off for the 2009 tournament in Sweden, which Spain won 4-3 on aggregate, and so Pierluigi Tami’s charges are on something of a revenge mission this time around.

The two sides play contrasting styles of football with Spain content to keep the ball for long periods before attacking with pace and precision to carve open defences, while the Swiss are masters of the counter-attack and are prepared to trust their water-tight defence before launching rapid attacks.

Switzerland have yet to concede a goal in the tournament and, despite being second favourites to win the final, will not be fazed by the prospect of facing the talented Spanish outfit.

Timm Klose will need to marshal his defence to perfection to see off the threat of Adrian and his talented attacking team-mates and the match might resemble a training ground exercise at times, with wave after wave of Spanish attacks thwarted by a resolute rearguard.

The Swiss defence might be able to hold out but the question is, can they find the back of the net when it matters most?

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Can Stoke upset Cup final odds?

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Bet on the FA CupStoke City (18/5 to beat Man City) head to Wembley on Saturday afternoon to do battle with Manchester City for the FA Cup – and Tony Pulis’ side, despite being underdogs, can be more than just spectators.

The Potters are not fancied by the bookies ahead of their first ever FA Cup final, and although this is certainly justified – they face a City side which has had millions injected into it – Stoke should not be underestimated and can certainly spoil the party.

Some questioned whether Stoke could recreate their home form – which they rely on in the league – at Wembley in their semi-final against Bolton.

But the Potters managed a 5-0 thrashing over the Trotters to send them back up the M6 with their tails firmly between their legs, dispelling any doubt that they would not be able to play at the national stadium.

The club will be disappointed to be waiting on winger Matthew Etherington for the clash – the 26-year-old has been instrumental this season for Tony Pulis’ side – but is facing an uphill battle to be fit by Saturday morning.

Blues boss Roberto Mancini even stated that Stoke will be a tougher prospect than semi-finalists Manchester United as it is Stoke’s “game of their life” and Mancini’s side are 11/2 to register a 1-0 victory – the same scoreline they managed in the semi.

However, the Italian believes that history beckons for City – with the club trying to break their 35-year trophy drought.

Mancini is currently waiting on the fitness of talisman, Carlos Tevez,  who is EVS to score at anytime, but has been struggling with a hamstring problem for the last month. However, City’s desperation to get Tevez fit will not fill the rest of their team with confidence.

The Argentinian striker only managed seven minutes in the 1-0 win over Tottenham on Wednesday night, and Mancini is willing to wait until Saturday morning to make a decision on whether to include him.

It is a real concern for City that without Tevez their frontmen are simply not scoring enough goals. Edin Dzeko and Mario Balotelli have managed just one goal between them in their last six games for the Eastlands-based club.

Meanwhile, Stoke’s Trinidad and Tobago international Kenwyne Jones (50/1 to score a hat-trick) has scored five goals in his last six games and Jonathan Walters (5/2 to score at anytime) has managed five goals in six FA Cup games this campaign.

There is no doubt that this will be a physical encounter with both sides possessing battling midfielders. Four of the last eight encounters between Stoke and Man city have seen a side reduced to ten men.

Both sides head into the final in good form, with Stoke unbeaten in their last five games while Man City have won four of their last five matches.

However, in head-to-heads the last four meetings between the sides have ended in 1-1 draws (1-1 after 90 mins can be backed 11/2).

The odds of either side winning on penalties is 11/1 and may just be a likely outcome, especially if it is nervy affair, which Cup finals so often are.

So expect a tight final with the Potters more than holding their own against their so-called superior opponents.

However, ultimately, we see a narrow Man City win to seal a great week for Mancini and co that will go some way to make up for the fact arch-rivals Man United are also likely to celebrating more success themselves over ther weekend.

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Dream Wembley final looming

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With both away sides securing 2-0 first-leg victories in the Champions League semi-finals this week it looks likely that Manchester United will face Barcelona in the final on May 28. Real Madrid and Schalke might have other ideas but the prospect of a United vs Barca clash is something to whet the appetite – so will the ‘dream’ final happen? (Barcelona 8/15 to win Champions League).

United stuttered their way through the first half of the season and it left a lot of people scratching their heads that they were still at the top of the Premier League table without really hitting their straps.

But their form has picked up in recent months and the first-leg victory over the Germans was one of the best performances by the Red Devils for a long time and they could have scored four or five but for the brilliance of keeper Manuel Neuer.

Led by a resurgent Wayne Rooney, United’s passing and movement off the ball was first class and it looked like men against boys at times.

Can Schalke come back and spoil United’s dream of a third final in four years? Not if they repeat Tuesday’s display, but it is unlikely that they will play that badly again (Schalke 14/1 to qualify for final).

The Bundesliga side defended poorly and the same display at Old Trafford could lead to an embarrassing scoreline.

However, the Schalke players only have to cast their memories back a few weeks to the quarter-finals when they went to the San Siro and beat a decent Inter Milan side 5-2 before completing the job back at the Veltins-Arena.

That result will give them hope that they can turn things around at the Theatre of Dreams on May 4 but they will face a United side who appear to be peaking at just the right time.

Sir Alex Ferguson is a master at getting his tactics spot on and he will know exactly what to do when the men from Gelsenkirchen come calling.

If Schalke’s job seems difficult then Real’s task looks like Mission Impossible and they do not possess Tom Cruise in their side (Madrid 11/1 to qualify for final).

Wednesday’s disjointed, feisty encounter at the Bernabeu was only really ignited by the brilliance of Lionel Messi, who is now being mentioned in the same breath as Pele and Diego Maradona.

The 23-year-old’s two goals highlighted how important he is to the Catalans and, while they might possess world-class players throughout the side, the Argentinian is a cut above anyone else at present.

Real boss Jose Mourinho could well be in hot water for his post-match comments and he is clearly never going to get over his obsession with Barcelona and the perceived injustices of playing against them.

But if anyone can pull off the impossible then the Portuguese tactician is the man. The trouble is he will probably be sitting in the stands after being red-carded during the first-leg encounter.

Mourinho builds his side around a solid defence and his tactics would have been to get to the Nou Camp on level terms at worst, but Pepe’s sending off changed everything and Real will now have to go into the second leg with an attacking mindset.

However, it seems inconceivable that Barca will not score in their own backyard and Madrid are not the sort of side that will be able to score three times away from home.

Therefore it may need the moon to be a shade of blue for United and Barcelona not to progress to Wembley at the end of May and that would be a fitting finale to the season as, on current form, they are clearly the best two sides in Europe.

Barca may possess the best player on the planet but in Ferguson, United have their own trump card.

The veteran Scot will be out to set the record straight after losing out to the Spanish giants in the 2009 final and what better place to do it than at Wembley?

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Copa del Rey final preview

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Barcelona and Real Madrid drew 1-1 in La Liga on Saturday night at the Bernabeu and come head-to-head again on Wednesday to contest the Copa del Rey final at the Mestalla, before the small matter of the Champions League semi-final clash between the two Spanish giants (Match Betting – Barcelona 10/11, draw 11/4, Real Madrid 11/4).

Barca’s draw at the Bernabeu last time out was enough to all but wrap up the La Liga title for the Catalan giants and Real boss Jose Mourinho will be desperate to land the Copa del Rey on Wednesday.

The self-proclaimed ‘Special One’ has never failed to land a trophy in a complete season in management and will not want to start in his debut campaign with Los Blancos.

No Real boss has stayed in the job for the following season after failing to secure a piece of silverware for 28-years and there have already been rumours suggesting the Portuguese coach could be heading for pastures new in the summer, after failing to mount a serious challenge for the league crown.

However, Mourinho insists he is in a relaxed state of mind ahead of the showdown and expects a tight affair between the two powerhouses of Spanish football.

“This is my first final with Real Madrid, but I am relaxed,” explained Mourinho. “I have experienced many matches like this one, which is why I am a lot more calm than a coach who has never been here before.”

Barcelona defender Carles Puyol was stretchered off in the draw in Madrid on Saturday, but has been included in boss Pep Guardiola’s squad after coming through training on Tuesday.

There was speculation Real quartet Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo (5/1 to score first), Kaka and Mesut Ozil were all struggling and may miss the final, but all four have been included by Mourinho in his squad. However, both Fernando Gago and Lassana Diarra are missing with injury problems.

The tie should be an interesting affair, especially as the two sides meet in the Champions League on April 27 and May 3, but given Barcelona’s recent dominance over Real they will fancy their chances (Barcelona 9/1 to win in extra time, Real Madrid 14/1).

Guardiola had an unblemished record prior to Saturday’s draw and he still hasn’t lost a Clasico fixture since taking charge at Camp Nou, and with all his stars available, the Catalan giants may well prove too strong for their fierce rivals yet again (Half-Time/Full-Time – Barcelona/Barcelona 2/1).

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