The Champions League Final will be set in the next two days, d will we have an all-England final game, or an enticing matchup between two great giants of the EPL and La Liga? Tonight's second leg semifinal at Old Trafford looms as the more intriguing of the two semifinals, if not least because the winner will likely be the punters' favorite to win the European crown in Moscow.
Man U have to be considered slight favorites tonight, entering the Theatre of Dreams on level terms with Barcelona, 0-0, and poised to let their rabid fans witness their passage into a Champions League Final for the first time in nine years. Even without Vidic and possibly without Wayne Rooney, United will play like a different side tonight at home than the boxed-in eleven we saw at Nou Camp. Expect the United midfield to want to play end to end, and to see Ronaldo take some chances from outside the area, as well as make aggressive runs from all over the pitch. If Rooney is absent, Carlos Tevez could be key up front, and I could see him outshining his more notable countrymen on the other side, if he's able to find the ball at his feet with room to work near the area.
Eto'o and Messi are rested and fit for Barcelona, and will certainly be the focal points in attack, as Deco, Iniesta, Xavi and Abidal will look to provide service for their potent strikers. Messi particularly, should benefit from not seeing any game action at the weekend, and could just cause United fans some heart attacks early if he's able to make runs at United from the right side. Cristiano Ronaldo may be world footballer of the year, but for my money there is not a more dangerous attacker in the world with the ball at his feet than Leonel Messi.
It should be a riveting affair, and I believe it's a fool's task to try and pick a score. But if you said I must predict an outcome because life depended on it, I would say 2-1 Manchester United. Barcelona dominated possession in the first leg, but probably won't as the away team, thus United will grow in confidence early, and will be able to take advantage of a somewhat suspect Barca defence, and find two goals. My guess is Barca may even score first, or if not will have the score level at 1-1 and have the Old Trafford sweating, only to see a period of extended pressure result in the decixive goal at about the 70th minute. There, a real prediction! But don't bet your life on it.
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