Shay Brennan 1968 European Cup winner
At the Camp Nou in the return leg of the last 16 of the Champions League Nicklas Bendtner had the chance to score against Barcelona during a period of slow tempo "tikka- takka", after Nasri's long ball from the right hand side saw him get clear of Busquets and Abidal. As history records, the Dane missed the chance allowing Barcelona survive elimination despite their loss in the first leg at The Emirates 2-1.
On the eve of the Champions League final at Wembley the story of that match would be worth watching on DVD as it would show United players that Pep Guardiola's team are not totally unbeatable, as many pundits would have us believe. As with all finals, form goes out the window in a one off match.
Just ask Rafa Benitez who conjured up a second half comeback of epic proportions against AC Milan in Turkey in 2005 seeing of a team filled with the likes of Cafu, Kaka, Seedorf, Paulo Maldini, Nesta, Gattuso, Shevchenko and Hernan Crespo.
For Sir Alex Ferguson the route to success has to be an attacking mind-set and not let his team come too mesmerised by the magical Messi and focus on forcing the Barcelona back four earn their keep on the night. The key for United is the knowledge that Barcelona are beatable – if attached in the right way.
In a formation is likely to include three up front with Rooney delivering balls from deep, Hernandez chasing down the passes from the edge of the box and the revitalised Valencia rampaging down the right wing, United can cause the La Liga winners trouble. Confronted with that type of movement Guardiola will rely on his regular back four with Carles Puyol and Gerard Piquet through the penalty box - if Eric Abidal is not selected for the final.
If in doubt, Guardiola’s preferred 4-3-3 formation may include Javier Mascherano in place of Puyol, who would move out to left back and support the defensive work of Sergio Busquets.
Ferguson may prefer Puyol in the position as despite his years, the club captain is still one of the best last line defenders in the game and would make every effort to hamper Chicharito if he plays in his usual role. The work rate of Rooney on the left, supported by Ji Park Sung will ensure that the sorties of Brazilian Dani Alves will also be curtailed.
The midfield of both teams pick themselves with United using Ji-sung Park, Ryan Giggs and Michael Carrick, who may also be used as a foil for Lionel Messi when Barcelona are in possession – a tactic they expertly adopt as means of wearing downs opponents.
For Barcelona the combination will be Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Busquets, who on the night will deliver the work rate of six players, sharing all the defensive duties equally with magnificent ball distribution.
Up front David Villa will be the point man attacking from the left side, leaving Messi from the right with the supporting act of Pedro Rodriguez doing the mileage through the middle as Barca attempt to unlock United’s back four of Vidic, Rio Ferdinand, Patrice Evra and Fabio.
For the most part Ferguson’s team resembles the eleven that lost to Barcelona in the Stadio Olimpico in Rome two years ago with the only absentee Cristiano Ronaldo, who on the night also failed to deliver for Ferguson.
But one senses this time around it is different and Messi’s propensity to run from a deeper midfield position this season may allow United to inhibit him more than in 2009. All will depend on how the Turkish referee, Viktor Kassai, handles these close encounters, which could make the game stop-start if the Catalan players get into their tumbling mode too early. Something Real Madrid learned at their cost in the two semi-finals.
Kassai has officiated more than 60 UEFA matches and was the man in charge when United beat Valencia 1-0 during the group stages of the Champions League earlier this season. During that match he brandished just one yellow card against substitute Aduriz - in time added on. In the 2010 World Cup semi-final last summer Kassai oversaw the win by Spain over Germany in Durban which coincidentally featured Pique, Puyol, Villa, Xavi, Pedro and Iniesta. In that match he brandished no yellow cards and would appear on the face of it to be the right man for a final between two footballing teams.
It certainly would favour United, if Rooney also keeps his cool, as they tend less towards gamesmanship in the heat of battle. It is not the done thing in Govan, is Sir Alex’s view.
In goal Edwin van der Saar will end an illustrious playing career in a Wembley venue he first visited in 1993 as an understudy to Ed de Goey in the Holland squad that drew 2- 2 with Graham Taylor's England team, in the first of their two 1994 world cup qualifying matches. Two years later van der Saar would win his first Champions League medal when Ajax beat AC Milan in Vienna.
At the other end Victor Valdes will be looking to repeat the clean sheet of 2009. Something that seems unlikely.
This season the winds of fortune have been with United, who in securing their 19th Premier League title have set a new record, leaving many of their big spending rivals in their slipstream. A win in Europe on Saturday would add another dent into the Liverpool Football Club legend and reward Sir Alex Ferguson for continuing the post Munich Tragedy legacy that he inherited from Sir Matt Busby.
Many may argue that he has already achieved his place in Manchester United history with the Champions League wins in 1999 and 2008. However, with the final in Wembley this year Ferguson has the chance to give that 1968 team a trip down memory lane, as they were the men that really fulfilled the promise of the Busby Babes. That evening United vanquished the mighty Portuguese giants, Benfica.
On Saturday night the sight in the VIP stand of Sir Bobby Charlton, Pat Crerand, Nobby Stiles, David Sadler, Alex Stepney, Bill Foulkes, Tony Dunne, John Ashton, Brian Kidd and Jimmy Rimmer, might sway the night. They too might all benefit from the ghosts of Shay Brennan and George Best, who are likely to have found very good seats in the new Wembley for the night. For all the might of Barcelona a win for United is on the cards.
It’s written in the stars, Best and Brennan will have seen to that.
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