Defending champions Manchester United will walk out at Rome’s Olympic Stadium for Wednesday’s show-case final to face a Barcelona side who have already humiliated European giants Bayern Munich and Real Madrid this season.

It promises to be a battle royal between two teams at the peak of their powers and includes a sub-battle between arguably the world’s best two attacking players who can terrorise defences on their day.

United’s Ronaldo currently has the upper hand having won both the world player of the year crown and the Ballon d’Or in 2008 while his side aim to retain their Champions League title by beating Messi’s Barcelona side.

Dead-ball specialist Ronaldo hit a staggering 42 goals in all competitions last season, but his winner away to Porto and two at Arsenal in this season’s Champions League campaign have gone some way to answering criticism of his big-game temperament.

Barcelona centre-back Yaya Toure admits the Spaniards can ill-afford to allow Ronaldo the freedom to control the midfield if they are to fulfill their ambition to win the competition they last claimed in 2006.

“They are physically very strong, they have a truly great footballer in Cristiano Ronaldo and they won the Champions League last year, so we know it will be very difficult,” said the 26-year-old Ivory Coast international.

“It will be a great game and it’s important that we play at 100 percent because anything less and you cannot beat this team.”

While Ronaldo can strike fear into the heart of any goalkeeper with the deadball, Messi can give defenders nightmares with his ability to beat opponents with the slightest of touches from his favoured left-foot.

United defender Patrice Evra, 28, insists there is no special preparation for facing the Argentinian winger, but feels that coming up against the likes of Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney every day in training is adequate.

And the knowledge he would have to face the wrath of United manager Sir Alex Ferguson in the event of a poor display is an added incentive when dealing with Messi who came second in the voting for the world player of the year.

“Messi is a great player. I might stop him 10 times, but if on the 11th he goes past me and scores, people will say I have played badly against him,” said the French international.

“I need to concentrate for all the game and win every challenge. Last year the boss told me I could win the game for United. I was very proud about that.

“The boss (Ferguson) trusts you but he likes to say things that will give you confidence. I don’t want to disappoint him or my team-mates.”

Ronaldo and Messi faced each other in last season’s Champions League semi-final when Messi shaded the contest by proving the more dangerous of the pair although United progressed 1-0 thanks to Paul Scholes’s wonder strike at Old Trafford.

United defender Rio Ferdinand looks likely to play in Wednesday’s final having come through the weekend’s training with no ill-effects on his calf injury which has kept him out for the last three weeks and Sunday’s 1-0 win at Hull.

Jonny Evans, impressive at the back for United throughout the season, is on stand-by to partner Nemanja Vidic at the heart of United’s defence in case Ferdinand fails to recover.

Barcelona star striker Thierry Henry and midfielder Andres Iniesta appear to have overcome their injuries after training on Monday.

Henry, who played against Barca on the losing Arsenal team in the 2006 final, has had a ligament problem since beating Real Madrid 6-2 on May 2, while Iniesta has been struggling with a thigh injury.

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has several options at full-back with first-choice pair Dani Alves and Eric Abidal both missing out through suspension.

Captain Carles Puyol and former United defender Gerard Pique are almost certain to start.

Meanwhile local authorities in Rome have issued a total ban on alcohol from 2200GMT on Tuesday to 0500GMT on Thursday in the Italian capital in a bid to prevent crowd trouble around the final with more than 67,000 fans expected.

Source: soccernews.com

Petr Cech was outstanding as Chelsea held Barcelona to a 0-0 draw in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final at the Nou Camp. And so becoming the first side in 50 games to restrict the Spanish side from scoring on their home ground.

Cech produced several fine stops to keep the Blues in the tie as Guus Hiddink‘s men defended superbly throughout ahead of the second leg at Stamford Bridge a week on Wednesday.

After a cagey opening 30 minutes, in which Barcelona enjoyed plenty of possession but could not break down a solid visiting defence, the game suddenly sparked into life.

Thierry Henry cut in from the left and fired straight at Cech before testing the Blues stopper again with a much fiercer effort moments later as Barca finally began to create some openings.

But it was Chelsea who should have broken the deadlock in the 39th minute when Rafael Marquez’s weak back pass allowed Didier Drogba a free run on goal but the striker’s half volley was well saved by Victor Valdes, who was also equal to the Ivorian hitman’s follow up.

Michael Ballack flicked a header over the bar as Hiddink’s troops began the second half with more intent, while Barca were forced into a reshuffle when Marquez was forced off with a knee injury to be replaced by Carlos Puyol.

Lionel Messi, mostly on the fringes of the game, volleyed over the bar from 16 yards while Dani Alves forced Cech into another smart stop as Barca began to find their fluency again. Although a booking for Puyol for a challenge of Florent Malouda means the experienced defender will be missing for the second leg at Stamford Bridge a week on Wednesday.

Samuel Eto’o missed a great opportunity to give Barcelona the lead with 20 minutes to go when he outpaced the visiting defence but the outstanding Cech produced another excellent stop.

But the best chance of the game fell to substitute Bojan in the 90th minute when the young striker headed over the bar from close range, while moments later Cech smothered an effort from Alex Hleb as Barca ended the night frustrated and goalless – the first time they have failed to score at the Nou Camp all season.

Afterwards boss Guus Hiddink felt his Chelsea side did a remarkable job of stifling Barcelona.

“Barcelona play beautiful football and possession is crucial to their game,” said the Dutchman.

“The only thing they couldn’t do was find a goal and I think Petr Cech did a good job defensively.

“They couldn’t create the big chances and we were a little bit unlucky with Didier in the first half, but we have to accept that they posed more of a threat. We fought very bravely.

“We know this is the only team in the world that can immediately take advantage when you lose your discipline and punish you. The guys did very well.

“The only thing we would like to have done is to have more possession and pose more of a threat, but this is one of the best teams in the world.”

Barcelona travel to Stanford Bridge for the second leg, without their star defenders Puyol and Marquez, the men from London will surely have a quiet air of optimism when the sides clash once again on Wednesday.

Source: football365

Lionel Messi

Age 20

FC Barcelona

When the Spanish Primera División kicked off this year, all eyes were on the “fantastic four” the world waited in anticipation to see the four superstars wreak havoc on all of Europe. Few expected the youngest and probably least known of the four to outshine his fellow players quite so emphatically

The boy wonder has shown that age is nothing but a number on numerous occasions this year. Lionel Messi brings a complete attacking game to any match and has consistently proven his worth. Scoring 19 goals in all competitions in 2006 and with 12 goals in only 17 starts this year Barcelona will be very happy that the young prodigy has pledged his future to the Catalan club.

The amazing thing about the 20 year old is that he has been able to establish himself so quickly. Messi has blinding pace which he uses with brilliant effect. Few sights in football are as encouraging (or discouraging) as seeing the Argentine pick up the ball on his flank and proceed to skip through world class defenders time and again. Coupled with the fact that the youngster has the ability to pick the right option so much of the time is why his name is being repeated all over the world.

“Leo” Messi might not be the most outspoken player in world football but there is so much to talk about when observing the youngsters general play. With Maradonna tipping the young magician as his “successor” I am convinced that if the youngster keeps his nose clean, he can aspire to heights Maradonna himself fell short of achieving.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Age 22

Manchester United FC

Few gave the youngster any chance of reaching this point so soon after a stormy world cup fall out with club team mate Wayne Rooney last year. The young Portuguese winger however resumed his place in the Manchester United squad, put his head down and worked ever so hard to get the recognition he so rightly deserves.

The thing that sets Ronaldo apart from his fellow nominees is his mental strength. Few people acknowledge or even see it, but he has it, in bucket loads. Villainised by the English press, there were few grounds Ronaldo could tread without a cacophony of wolf whistles greeting his every touch of the ball. It seems that the situation made an ideal setting for the wonder boy to become a finely polished potential match winner, envied by any side in world football.

Whilst Ronaldo was top scorer in a very successful 2006 Manchester United side the young winger impressed even more in the way he raced to his 17 premiership goals, on more than one occasion stepping up when United needed a match winner. The young international has come a long way in proving all his doubters wrong and in him Sir Alex Ferguson has ever maturing young world beater, prone to the odd dive or controversy but a world beater none the less.

There are now very few experts that can doubt the youngster’s pedigree but whether that results in his name being read out at the awards gala is debatable.

Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite

Age 25

AC Milan

Better known as “Kaka” a player with a seemingly endless supply of elegance. Kaka has long been touted in his native Brazil as “The next big star” and has now seemingly gone on to exceed that title. Consistency was the key to a personal campaign which saw Kaka unanimously walk away with multiple awards including:

• UEFA Team of the Year: 2006
• FIFPro World XI: 2006, 2007
• UEFA Champions League Top Scorer: 2006-2007
• UEFA Champions League Best Forward: 2006-2007
• UEFA Club Footballer of the Year: 2007
• FIFPro World Player of the Year: 2007
• Ballon d’Or: 2007

With a list that prestigious he is definite front runner for the top award come December 17th.

Many people waited in anticipation last year when Milan came up against Manchester United in last years UEFA champion’s league semi final, knowing that 2 of the worlds top players would finally square up. After the dust settled and Milan claimed an emphatic victory there was really only ever one winner in the battle for supremacy. The Brazilian outshone his counter part that day and in doing so increased his stock in the race to be crowned player of the year.

Kaka has been nothing short of brilliant and although his club has suffered a serious dip in form you cannot take away from the outstanding performances Kaka comes up with for club and country alike. Kaka scores and creates goals from absolutely nothing, he is unbelievably fast and seems to have been born for the big stage. He may shy from the spotlight of the field but time and again can be seen demonstrating the skills, maturity and grace that make him the complete offensive package and certain front runner for the coveted world player of the year award.

Ryan van Wyk