As we await the showcase event of the European season in the UEFA Champions League between two titans, Manchester United and Barcelona, I will be looking at dissecting the game in this preview of the huge clash..
The prestigious tournament began in mid July involving over 50 teams and now we find ourselves salivating over the mouthwatering clash of two of Europes finest of the last few years.
In the Red Devils case, it is their third final in four years after claiming victory in Moscow in 2008 and being outclassed in their title defence a year latter by the Blaugrana.
For the Catalan giants, it is their second final in three years having claimed the famous trophy in 2006 and 2009 most recently on top of their 1992 triumph in the inaugural Champions League season.
Great memories flood back for the reigning Wpanish champions from 2009, while United will be hell bent on avenging their loss in Rome and sending out their outgoing warriors in style.
Edwin Van Der Sar, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Owen Hargreaves, Michael Owen, Wes Brown and possibly Sir Alex Ferguson himself are mooted to leave Old Trafford at the conclusion of this season on top of the retirement of Gary Neville earlier in the season.
In what shapes as the end of an era for the club with hoousehold changes being predicted to occur in the off season it shapes as one last battle for now the most successful English team in history.
For Barca, it is a chance to write their name into the history books and push closer to the nine European titles their bitter rivals Real Madrid. The win would also put them in the same level of prestige as the famous European honour teams that have won the champions league five times or more, or have won three in a row.
In terms of what game we may see and what must be done by both teams, I will be breaking down the tactics and strategies of two of the most astute tacticians in Josep Guardiola and Sir Alex Ferguson.
Manchester United
Personnel
Van der sar, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Giggs, Scholes, Carrick, Park Ji-Sung, Nani, Rooney and Berbatov represent 11 players that were there in the 2009 loss to Barca.
Darren Fletcher was a notable loss and United missed his steel, clamness and class in midfield against the wizadry of Spains Andres Iniesta and Xavi last time round.
Fletcher wll play a pivotal role in this game if started in closing down the space and using his industry and ball playing prowess to open up counter attacking opportunities. The formation that they are likely to play are 4-4-1-1:
Van der sar, Fabio, Vidic, Rio, Evra, Nani, Fletcher, Giggs, Park, Rooney, Hernandez.
This has been the preferred system all year round with Rooney playing as a CF/CAM playing in the hole and playing people in with his great passing.
What has been underestimated is his playmaking skills which have blossomed this year as he has struggled to be scorer and so has transformed into predominate supplier.
Park has proven to be a matchwinner in the big games and rises to the occasion. His boundless energy and defensive pressure and hassling will be critical. The beauty about United has been their depth: Carrick, Scholes, Valencia, Berbatov and Anderson provides plenty of options off the bench should they be named in the interchange.
Tactics
My three words for Manchester United in their approach to the game would be: retention, possession and distribution.
These are basic fundamentals that any team would look to take control of but when your coming up against the best team in the world, United have got to make the most of their chances.
Possession is key in this match, and United are most likely going to surrender in excess of 60% possession to a team who are masters and holding onto the ball and wriggling through oppostions defences while remaning compact and structured enough to contain oppostion thrusts forward, however quickly they may come.
Players like Fletcher, Giggs, Rooney and Hernandez will be key – whether Rooney is holding up the ball and playing for the likes of Park and Nani to run into pockets of space or whether Giggs needs the time and space to play a sumptuous ball.
Retention is obviously of simarlar vein to possession but it cant be stressed enogh that once unite get the ball they have to do their utmost to keep because of Barca dont have the ball they wont pose any threats.
Distribution is the most important and critical aspect of the game for United. It is forecast that even they are resigned to the fact that they will concede a mountain of possession.
What United have to do to the absolute maximum is take their chances and ensure their distribution into the box and in setting up chances they are clincical, clean and ruthless when given a chance.
Barcelona
Personnel
The customary 4-3-3 will be deployed without a shadow of a doubt. The only problem lies with the fitness of Abidal. He has been courageous with his Liver cancer troubles but perhaps it is a point of weakness for the Catalan club which could be exposed.
Possibly a problem that may threaten Barcalona significantly would be if Sir Alex decides to pack the midfield with a 4-5-1. Barca could be really rushed and outmuscled with their three pronged midfield, who perhaps do not exert themselves physically, and the fact that Pedro, Villa and Messi are not inclined to helping out when scattered in attacking forays.
Tactics
The underlying message is for Barca stamp their authority in this game early by getting their possession game flowing early and settling nerves.
Two years ago, United made a great start but it only lasted 15 minutes and was largely unrewarded. Barca went on to topple them for the rest of the game in brutal fashion.
A great start or great patch or dominance has be to rewarded and if Barca fail to capitalise then that could prove to be catastrophic as United are never out of game as evidenced by their many stunning comebacks this season. Who can forget the ’99 final?
Verdict
The midfield engagement will be intriguing to say the least. The Barca trio of Busquets, Xavi and Iniesta vs Fletcher, Giggs, Scholes and Carrick will be critical as the gravity of the game lies there Whoever wrests control of the midfield will go a long way in winning the game.
In the end my prediction is Barcelona to win. They are too classy and have overcome every hurdle with aplomb.
Manchester United have proven to be a force this season but the EPL’s drop in quality is quite evident with only 1 semi finalist in the Champions League, and the closeness of the league poses questions about the overall quality of the EPL this term.
In every facet, Barca appear to trump United: they have the genuine superstar capable of turning a game with one dribble move, they have a midfield that conducts the bus without any crashes or bumps and have a rock solid defence that is rarely troubled.
However, there are always the big qustions: How will Barca cope with a tactical curved ball if United play a 4-5-1? How will David Villa cope with the speed and strength of the United defence? Will Messi’s desire to topple Ronaldo in the overall goal tally get the better of him and the team?
Barca 3-1.
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