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Exciting business coming up...
It has been a long hard season but finally the end is in sight and some team is going to walk away from Rome feeling like they are on top of the world.
If you had asked football fans over the course of the season who they would want to be playing in this seasons Champions League final, the answer would be Manchester United and Barcelona. Teams don’t get much bigger in the world of football and the style of flair and endeavour that both clubs have shown throughout the campaign.
Given the way that they have dominated proceedings for most of La Liga, it is very easy to forget that Barcelona spent the summer in turmoil with many people wondering whether the appointment of rookie manager Pep Guardiola would be up to the task of returning Barcelona to the top of Spanish football.
Do not forget that Barcelona had to qualify for the Champions League which means they were involved in the qualifiers. It may have been a long season for the Catalan club but with a domestic double in the bag, the team can focus on one final push which could see them go down in Spanish footballing history.
Real Madrid are easily the establishment club of Spain, a tremendous team in their own right but the murky suspicion of being favoured by Franco and Uefa distorts some of their achievements throughout the years. For all of their dominance though, Madrid have never managed to do the treble in one season and yet Barcelona stand on the brink of doing what Real Madrid have never managed to do.
As their motto (Més que un – more than a club) suggests, Barcelona are more than just a club and they are a living embodiment of the Catalan people. If the club can triumph in Rome, they will not only be striking a blow for football fans, they will be striking a blow for their own people.
United are the champions of the world
As the holders, Manchester United will enter the final as slight favourites and it has already been a monumental season for United. They are the current World Club champions, League Cup holders and for the 18th time in their history, the champions of England.
A boy or girl turning 18 is a monumental achievement but for United, it is all about equalling the domestic record of Liverpool. The Merseyside club have been in the shadows in recent decades as Alex Ferguson led United to triumph after triumph and the news that the Mancunian Reds have hauled level for domestic glory will cause Liverpool fans a great deal of concern.
The only thing they have left to crow about is their superior record in Europe’s premier trophy but if United triumph in Rome, they will be closing in on that score as well. There are going to be a number of Liverpool fans having sleepless nights in the next few days.
United Have Great Strength in Depth
So why are United so good? It may seem like a simple question but the fact is surely that they look strong in all areas of the park and they have strength in depth in their squad. The big story about United this season has been about the defensive strength shown by the club with Edwin van der Sar setting a new record for shut-outs along the way. Aside from the heroics of the Dutch keeper, credit goes to Vidic and Ferdinand for marshalling a tight defence. The thing is though, United are one of the hardest working teams and their defensive work starts from the front line.
And with a forward line of Rooney, Tevez, Ronaldo and Berbatov, there is a strong thought that United can always nick a goal. Two of the players in United’s fantastic four may be thinking this could be their last game but it means that they will have an even greater incentive to secure the Champions League.
Carlos Tevez does not know where he will be playing his football next season but it appears that he will not be staying at Old Trafford next season. There is talk that he could be on his way to Liverpool but Tevez is a hard working player and you can guarantee that he will be giving his all if selected.
The other United player who may be on the way out is Ronaldo, with the threat of his move to Real Madrid possibly coming true this summer. There is no doubt that Ronaldo will want to leave United with a great leaving present but it is fair to say he will be wanting to lay down a marker to Barcelona that he has the skills to upset them. If Ronaldo wants to make the Real Madrid fans happy, ensuring Barcelona do not triumph in Rome will be a great way to start.
Barcelona Can Score at Will
And there are many reasons why Barcelona can prevail in the final and three of these reasons are goals, goals, goals. Any team that has a striking line-up of Messi, Eto’o and Henry are more than capable of punishing defences but the fact that these three players have managed to net over 100 goals between them indicates the strength of firepower the Catalan club have at their disposal.
The vast majority of clubs do not score 100 goals in a season and yet these three players have notched that and more in the pursuit of glory and triumph.
There is a downside to the attacking power shown by Barcelona and it is the fact that the backdoor tends to be left open and this could be the downfall of Barcelona in the Champions League. Injuries and suspension will weaken a Barcelona defence that is erratic at best and without Marquez, there are many who feel that Barcelona will not be able to repel Manchester United if they can set up wave after wave of attack. Add to this that Dani Alvez will be missing, which may not be the defensive disaster for Barcelona but it will certainly nullify a great deal of their attacking prowess.
With so much hype about the game, there is every chance that the game will be dull but everyone will be hoping that top quality football flows and the Champions League gets the final it deserves.
by Andrew Reilly
for The Silver Circle at www.footballtip.co.uk
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Dear Greg,
I've been a member since July 2003, maybe one of the first to join the Silver Circle.
2004 was a good year but I really enjoyed the long run we had in, I think, July 2005. It was exhilarating! 2006-2007 was not as exciting although still quite profitable and so far 2007-2008 looks quite good. I'm wondering if we're going to hit a long one again soon. Anyway, it's been a pleasure as always with your service, Greg. Armstrong and you are one of the few people I trust on the internet. You have made my retirement so much more fun and financially happy!
Best Wishes, Trent Wrayford, Sidney
