2011 CL Final: FC Barcelona - Manchester United FC 3-1 - Champions!

[Ilovefootball]

Any news on Abidal? Will he play?

The team won't be announced so early but everything signals that he is going to start. The official website has reported that every player has trained normally yesterday and today. So, i believe we will have our best 11 available for this match and all of them will start.

And i also believe that our approach will be the same as in first leg tie against Real Madrid where our fullbacks were very cautious to go forward, so that no room is given to RM to counter attack us.

 

[Pepe Silvia]

The team won't be announced so early but everything signals that he is going to start. The official website has reported that every player has trained normally yesterday and today. So, i believe we will have our best 11 available for this match and all of them will start.

And i also believe that our approach will be the same as in first leg tie against Real Madrid where our fullbacks were very cautious to go forward, so that no room is given to RM to counter attack us.

To add to your statements about Abidal, I feel that should he struggle or fade in the twilight minutes of the match, Pep will not hesitate to switch up and throw on Mascherano and switch up Puyol. It would be a matter of seconds and I know our coaches will be watching like hawks. Plus I do not expect Abidal to even play should he not be feeling at his optimal. It would be unfair of him to say "Coach I'm ready" if he were really not ready. I think we'll have a solid option on either scenario.

 

[SLOBarca]

Dang ! ManUre allover the place. And cocky too. Trolls, I reckon.

 

[MessiBarca]

I'm a United fan but I've been following this thread for the past few days just to see how you guys feel about the final.

I think Barcelona's defense is considered their weak point just because you guys play such a high line. Your defenders are really susceptible to through passes to fast wingers and forwards. Walcott had about 2-3 breakaways a game when he played you, yet failed to capitalize on them. Not to mention this Barcelona team plays most of their games with at least 70% possession, so the defense doesn't need to work as hard as most other teams. While I would never say your defense is remotely "bad", they are the weakest point of the team(by default), and I'm sure the pace of Valencia and Hernandez will cause them problems.

On Fergie's comments, I don't think he was wrong. Messi isn't just a good player, but he still can be stopped. Chelsea proved it over two legs in 2009, Inter did it again last season, and Real Madrid also kept him at bay to an extent(both his goals were scored after Pepe's sending off, so when it was 11 v 11, he was dealt with pretty well). Ramos is known for his rash defending at times, and in my opinion Marcelo is quite far off the best LB in the world.

On the contrary, I'd say our defense is our best part of the team. VDS has been the best keeper in the league this season, while Rio, Vidic, and Evra all could easily claim to be the world's best in their positions. Our RB is the only question mark, whether we go with O'Shea, Rafael, or Fabio. Either way, I don't think Barcelona have come up against a defense as good as ours since you played Inter Milan last year.

I still think it's anyone's game on Saturday, but I can guarantee it will be a much closer final than it was in 2009.

You gotta be kidding me, madrid stopped messi??, no madrid came out to kick messi out of the game, and the messi of this year is not the messi of last year, he is even more hungry, and I have watched Barca play tika-taka, since the early days of rajikaard, and believe me the way they defend is fantastics, keep the ball and the other team cant score, also watch barca attack, look at whom starts the ball the majority of times, its always Pique, and alves.

 

[Galning]

Larsson: "For the final? I am with Barça!"

 

[Yugi]

Barcelona will win it ya bet

 

[SLOBarca]

IMVHO - Vidić is highly overrated he is prone to defensive blunder, especially around 30m from the goal. He is big and slow, just right for English style of play but against us his phisical strenght won't do him any good. We do not play high crosses and long passes, our style of play is quick and short passes and this is just too much for players like Vidić.

 

[ZenI]

I think Hernandez is the key to this game for United ..excited to see how he fare vs Pique /Puyol

The kid is good, very good. Straight from Chivas to ManUtd and during his first season already made such an impact in one of the best teams. What a journey! He migth choke, but what I've seen so far he's cool and composed - like he'd played on top level at least 5 years or something. Great signing by SAF and the scouts...

IMVHO - Vidić is highly overrated he is prone to defensive blunder, especially around 30m from the goal. He is big and slow, just right for English style of play but against us his phisical strenght won't do him any good. We do not play high crosses and long passes, our style of play is quick and short passes and this is just too much for players like Vidić.

Overrated? No. He's one of the best CB's, and especially for ManUtd style/tactics. That's why ManUtd are such a successful team, SAF builds a great team were everybody complements eachother - just like us. But you are right SLO, he will have a hard time against Messi, Pedro and Iniesta - but on the other hand every defender have a hard with our quick players, passing game and Messis awesomeness!!!

 

[MessiBarca]

Barca should play like this
V V
Masch Pique Puyi
Alves
Busq
Xavi
Iniesta
M V P
I dont blieve that King Eric should start, not because he isn't ready, but I dont think Masch should be benched, He plays fantastic, sure he is short but he makes up for it in his determination, heart, pace, and he is a great tackler. Puyol should play on the left, Man U have a very fast and tricky winger(A V), and Puyi knows how to defend, I think he is the best defender, not when going up or being fast or holding the ball, but as a defender he is just amazing.

Messi should start in the right, Man U will not know what hit them, I know he will not stay in that spot, none of the barca strikers do, but if he starts as right winger, who ever Man U has on the left wing will be forced to help Evra just to slow down Messi. Also Villa has not had a good form as of late, and in finals form does not really count, but I know Villa will show up, he is a big game player In euro 08 and WC 10 he carried Spain's attack on his own.

I dont know how Man U will play, but if they come out and attack carelessly, they will get hurt. That is guaranteed, I am going for the score to be 3-1, (messi brace, Afellay, ronney for Man U)

------V V-------
------Masch---Pique----Puyol----
Alves----------------------
-----------Busquets-------
-----Xavi--------------------
--------------Iniesta-------
--m--------------------P-----
-----------V------------------

 

[FCBarca]

I think Hernandez is the key to this game for United ..excited to see how he fare vs Pique /Puyol

Moi aussi

 

[adil_909]

masch over busquets please pep.

and then preferably sell busquets in the summer so he can stop embarassing barca fans worldwide

 

[MessiBarca]

masch over busquets please pep.

and then preferably sell busquets in the summer so he can stop embarassing barca fans worldwide

Are you crazy sell, mr. machine, sure he dives, and a little too much, but he is what makes barca tick, he is so valuable to out squad, no way is pep gonna sell him, pep already took busquets over yaya toure

 

[Corb]

masch over busquets please pep.

and then preferably sell busquets in the summer so he can stop embarassing barca fans worldwide

 

[yusuf]

LOL....busquets is the perfect DM for barca and masch aint benching him.

 

[SLOBarca]

Abi has to start and no way Puyol should play on the left. He is a central defender and as such he covers a vast amount of space. Why limit him to the left?