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