Rome evokes memories of a great powerful empire that was a colossus in ancient times before its collapse. The rulers of ancient Rome gave us enduring memories of brutal, violent death games ever known to mankind. Pitting Lions, Tigers, Panthers, Leopards and all manner of fierce wild cats with men as punishment for being Christians or criminals in the dreaded coliseum. There were also the gladiators, fearsome warriors, heroes/villains, who fight one another to the death for the price of glory, to enter reckoning as a renowned warrior of the Roman Empire. All this was given to mankind by ancient Rome which unfortunately today the city has failed to replicate in similar proportions in arguably the most popular modern game, football.

Its two fierce rival local teams Roma and Lazio are perennial under achievers on the European big stage. AS Roma, the more adventurous of the two got a big heartbreak in the best of its attempts at the hands of non other than Liverpool FC in the 1983 European Cup (as the Uefa Champions league was then known) right before their fans in the eternal city. That was the only time any team from Rome made the final till date. Roma had its hide skinned by one of tomorrow’s finalists, Man United on several occasions in the past two seasons taking beatings on aggregate scores of 8-1, 5-1 etc. This year, its hopes were again painfully dashed by an unconvincing Arsenal on penalties in Rome’s Olympic Stadium, venue of tomorrow’s final. There is more to Rome than meets the eye. I think the city, its atmosphere, the crowd and history conspire to end great games tragically, on penalty shoot outs it seems.

This is the third final of the Champion league to be played in Rome and the previous two ended in 1-1 ties which were subsequently settled on penalty shoot out. As an example, Liverpool beat Roma in the 1983 final on penalty shootout after extra-time. Juventus also defeated Ajax 4-2 on penalties after they were tied 1-1 after extra time. Interestingly this year, Arsenal beat Roma in the second round knockout stage on penalty shootout in the same Stadio Olympico, also after extra time. Will tomorrow’s final between Man United and Barcelona be any different? Perhaps not. Though both finalists are great attacking sides playing breathtaking football at contrasting pace, Barcelona especially and everything else points to a decisive win, what with the almost 100 goals scored by the trio of Henry, Eto’o and messi. Goals will be scored by both teams no doubt but I venture to predict it will end in a 2-2 draw and be settled after injury time on penalty shootout. Barcelona should win the shoot out as I think Ronaldo, Rooney and Berbatov will miss their kick while only Eto’o is suspect for Barcelona. This verdict is my gut feeling as I believe Barcelona’s defence and its not so spectacular goalkeeper will cheaply give two goals which I expect Henry and Messi to redeem for Barcelona.

The keeper and a casual defence are Barcelona’s Archiles heel and I think Man United whose star players Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez it is conceded, finally have come of age, will exploit this to the fullest. The real bother for me in the Barcelona team is Eto’o who appears to have lost his terrific scoring boots towards the close of the season. Without doubt Iniesta, Henry, Messi, Xavi will be too much for even a strong Man United defence to handle on the night, I am not impressed with Samuel Eto’o’s form in front of goal lately. He was disappointing at the semi – final stage last season and has suddenly gone cold this term at the same stage. He not only failed to score against Chelsea both at Camp Nou and Stanford Bridge, he never looked dangerous, which makes the situation appalling. The man seems to have lost his nerves because he has not been scoring freely too in the league like he did earlier in the season. He just however, could be the difference if Barcelona is to beat Man United in regulation time. He is quick, has lethal shots and possesses a great quick turn as John Terry will testify when he swiftly and deftly rounded the defender in a second half confrontation at Camp Nou. He failed to beat Cech with the goal gaping at him though.

If Eto’o joins the party then I venture to say Barcelona will win 4-2, as Eto’o, Henry, Messi and Iniesta will score goals as they will be too quick and swift for poor Ferdinand, the weakest of the terrific four in the heart of Man United defence: Vidic, Evra and Rafael/Oshea. Overall, I give this game to the team that scores first and I hope it is not Man United. Barcelona, always full of brilliant performers, doesn’t always live up to their potential in cup finals though. But when you consider that no team has successfully defended the trophy since AC Milan last did in 1988/1989 and 1989/1990 seasons before the competition was renamed UEFA Champions League, then its safe to bet that Barcelona will win as after all, history has a nasty habit of repeating itself.

Franco Olasite.

Here’s hoping this Final will be the stuff of dreams.

So Barcelona, by hook or by crook, has made it into the final and given the neutral, a final to savour.  Manchester United vs. Barcelona, games like this, have made the Champions League what it is.

For a tournament to crown the best team in Europe, the Final match never lives up to the hype; such is the pressure that both sides are under.  Often times, before the final became the preserve of teams from the cash-rich Premier League, one team would freeze like a deer in the headlights, Valencia’s magnificent run in the 2000 Champions League was crisply and brutally ended by Real Madrid as was Monaco’s by Porto in 2004 (both matches ended 3-0).  Sometimes it falls to both teams to stink the place up- Milan and Juventus in 2003, case in point. And for those who say I don’t appreciate good defensive, tactical Italian style football, would you watch that match again?  Even Milan fans would be hard pushed to reply in the affirmative.  I would refer to the worst final in my living memory, Red Star Belgrade vs. Olympique Marseille from 1991, but this was before the Champions League era.

Since the Champions League started there have been three so called dream finals- Barcelona vs. AC Milan in 1994; Juventus vs. Real Madrid in 1998 and perhaps arguably, Arsenal vs. Barcelona in 2006.
In 1994, the final pit Johan Cryuff’s Dream Team with Romario and Stoichkov against Fabio Capello’s AC Milan, most of whom had spent most of the previous five years dominating Europe.  Going in Barcelona were slight favourites, but the form book was ripped up and before the hour the match was over.  Milan trashed Barca 4-0 in one of the greatest performances in the European Cup.

In 1998, it was a far closer game between Juventus, who reached their third final and Real Madrid.  It was a poor game with Predrag Mijatovic’s late goal taking the tie for Real for their 7th title.
In 2006, it was the time for Arsenal and Barcelona.  Given Arsenal’s lack of European pedigree, some people might wonder why this is classed as a dream final.  Well, because it was a match between two sides committed to attacking, progressive football.  It would be a feast of football.  Again it didn’t live up to expectations, although it was certainly more exciting than the game eight years previous.  The match had many chances but in the end Barca prevailed 2-1.

Now, we finally see the two best teams in Europe this year take on each other for the biggest prize.  It’s a dream Final, and let’s hope the general play makes it worthy of the name, worthy of the occasion.   May the best team win!  For once, that team can surely say they are truly the best in Europe.

Ted Phido