Champions League - Opinion: The dream final

Eurosport - Thu, 07 May 13:58:00 2009

The Champions League semi-final between Chelsea and Barcelona was like witnessing a fight between a flamenco dancer and a chav.

FOOTBALL Champions League 2008/2009 Barcelona Guardiola - 0

For the majority of the match at Stamford Bridge the action could have been played out in a West London wine bar.

You stand there watching as a beautiful, curvaceous senorita whirls before you, beckoning all the while. You feel small leaps of joy inside your chest.

Yet the large, muscley, chavy girl from your hometown you are ashamed to have taken up with is blocking her path.

You suddenly have a thirst which the margarita in your hand could never quench; as time goes on you start to worry that in fact the big-boned Londoner will prevent any contact between you and the chica.

There is a future date on May 27, in Rome, where an English girlfriend of yours will be present; she and the chav met a year ago in Moscow, and while the outcome of their fight was entertaining, it was not a pretty outcome.

You don't want to go through that again.

And - to dispense with this now-tedious analogy - you find yourself grateful to mistress fate when the chav panics, allowing the senorita to finally break through and provide the match with a finish it deserved.

The lack of penetration was not, for the most part, the fault of Barcelona. Chelsea, commendably solid at the Camp Nou, took their refusal to string more than two consecutive passes together to new heights at home.

Perhaps credit is due: they were a kick away from the final, after all, and denied at least one clear penalty after monopolising the goalmouth incident market.

Either way, it highlights Barca's weaknesses ahead of the final against Manchester United: at the root of these is the realisation that the teams who sit so deep in La Liga, whom Barca nearly always break down eventually, are simply not as good at it as the English clubs.

United will not be as solid defensively as Chelsea were on Wednesday night, but they are strong enough while offering a good deal more going forward - and this against a defence which encountered all sorts of problems with simple, direct tactics and the occasional diagonal ball for Florent Malouda.

Club captain Carles Puyol will be back to fill in at centre-half for Yaya Toure, often out of position against Chelsea and greatly missed in midfield, while Sylvinho will replace the sent-off Eric Abidal like-for-like at left-back.

That leaves the right-back spot to be filled, with Seydou Keita the more likely to deputise for Dani Alves, harshly booked for jumping to head the ball - although Xavi or Andres Iniesta, being the most technically gifted, would do the best job, Pep Guardiola will surely not want to leave his midfield-attack bereft of its two most important components.

Chelsea's goal gave the match a fabulous beginning, Michael Essien's left-footed, both-feet-off-the-ground volley the equal of Zinedine Zidane's strike in the 2002 final at Hampden Park.

However if there was any hope of Chelsea stepping out to attack in numbers, even on the counter, it was effectively killed at a stroke.

We should be grateful for the atrocious defensive positional play of Barca - and the endeavour of Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka and Malouda - as it gave us an end-to-end encounter where there should have been none.

Whenever Lionel Messi, Iniesta or the disappointing Samuel Eto'o came forward on to the ball, you could count eight men in front of them in two lines five yards apart: the polar opposite of the disjointed away back four.

It was interesting because you couldn't see Chelsea doing that against Man Utd, who also employ two wide attackers and a man down the middle; for Iniesta read Wayne Rooney, for Messi, Ronaldo.

There is great fear of Barca's attacking abilities but United will not sit that deep in a European final; while Chelsea's success from the Jose Mourinho era onwards has been built on percentages.

Alex Ferguson's side pride themselves on their pedigree on the continent and with Ronaldo in the team, they will also look to attack, when it suits.

There will be no Darren Fletcher to deny space in the middle of the park, leaving perhaps Anderson to sit deep alongside Michael Carrick. John O'Shea could do a job, but will Ferguson want to pit him against the Catalan club's midfield?

Chelsea threatened Barca from set-pieces, such as Drogba's narrow-angle free-kick and John Terry's header almost deflected home by Alex, while Frank Lampard caused problems when freed from his defensive shackles and Drogba should have scored in the second half.

That is in stark contrast to Barca - usually so devastating - for whom Xavi disappointed on those rare opportunities to get the ball into the danger area while Alves's final ball was appalling and Iniesta looked for the pass when the goal opened up for a shot.

So back to the senorita: by the time she comes face to face with that attractive, experienced girl from Manchester - herself the vanquisher of a fleet-footed vixen in the semis - it will almost certainly be a case of the queen of one country versus that of another, a battle between the two most respected leagues in the world.

It will be a fitting face-off for the greatest club fixture on the planet, for once a match truly reflecting the Champions League.

Let's hope the match lives up to the billing: for all the tension at the Bridge, the game resembled an attack-versus-defence training session, albeit one with exciting cameos of penalties appealed for and denied.

Jonathan Symcox / Eurosport

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  1. #154 Show a little respect for Barcelona, after all­ Arsenal is Barca Lite... They'll show you how its­ done, but I'm afraid you'll have to try to­ steal another Barcelona player as Cesc looks tired of­ Wegner's losing ways and will go to a real team­ this summer...

    From DaGringo, on Fri 8 May 4:29PM

  2. Yes its the dream final FIFA so desperately wanted. Its­ nothing more than a Manu......factured final. The two­ best teams in Europe yes...........but Barcelona should­ not be there. The final is a farce and the result­ insignificant. I am an Arsenal fan. I respect Man u.­ They are the winners for me already...........morally­ and ethically. Please ban this referee for 1000 days.­ I dont blame him however. I blame FIFA for giving him­ the orders.

    From kipketer1411, on Fri 8 May 3:17PM

  3. Nony, chelski are 3rd in EPL, and have only sparkled­ for 2 seasons when Mourinho was in charge.
    You are a T­ W A T just like your prima dona players who think they­ are better than what they really are, and demand to be­ given trophies/awards.
    Chelski will end the season 4th.

    From steve m, on Fri 8 May 2:05PM

  4. am afraid cos champions league has been compromised. it­ will neva enjoy enjoy as much patronage­ again.loosers,loosers,loosers. CHELSEA 4 LIFE

    From Nony, on Fri 8 May 9:59AM

  5. ahh, here you all are!
    i was wondering where all the­ sad bitter sour grape sucking bin dipping retarded skip­ rats were today, but it appears that i've found­ you....
    shouldn't you mongy looserpool fans be on a­ thread for teams that got knocked out in earlier­ rounds?
    same old drivel day in day out: cheating Man­ Utd blah blah blah, we've won five blah blah blah,­ refs in Man Utd's pockets blah blah blah, 18 league­ titles blah blah blah.
    PLEASE NOBODY CARES.
    LOOSERPOOL­ are a massive club with a wonderful future BEHIND­ them.
    YOU'LL NEVER WIN AGAIN.

    From eric the king, on Fri 8 May 9:41AM

  6. Sure it is the Dream Final and thats why Chelsea were­ CLEARLY not allowed to win. Disgusting.

    From kipketer1411, on Fri 8 May 9:12AM

  7. man i hope this gonna be a cracking finale..
    a battle­ between Messi vs Ronaldo,
    a new coach against someone­ who (club level) has won everything,
    well, let them­ prepare themselves, the 'Pep' team are­ coming..!

    From carlamms, on Fri 8 May 8:45AM

  8. Ahh,
    Everyone on this board seems to think that chelsea­ exposed barcelona's weaknesses. Maybe, but I­ remember seeing Liverpool thrash United not too long­ ago... it seems ManU doesn't like it when other­ teams take the game to them. Barcelona will definitely­ take the game to them... I think Ferguson is hitting­ the bottle pretty hard by now, and I think the ManU­ fans on this board are puffing and preening like @#$%­ because their @#$% have shrivelled up in fear...­ Howmuch you wanna bet ManU will be hiding out back in­ their own area like little girls named chelsea???

    From DaGringo, on Fri 8 May 8:31AM

  9. it was not a conspiracy, it was a ref'who had­ watched chelski diving @ every oportunity. they are a­ disgrace to the game. what a better advert against this­ style of football.
    DROGBA is the best at it and needed­ teaching a lesson.
    if the chelski fans feel ard done­ by, let them think about lfc fans who watched the best­ game / comeback of the year to watch them go out­ because of cheating tactics that have become far too­ prevalent in the PL. The worry is, that the other­ masters of the cheating game man u are going to try for­ free kicks for ronaldo and pens that are worked for.­ their a disgrace to englishfootball an should be­ penalised.

    From Gerry, on Fri 8 May 8:20AM

  10. And so it was the great Iniesta
    That finally became the­ hero of Barcelona !
    Under a bridge the referee Ovrebo­ continued in his siesta zzzzz
    Dreaming about those­ penalties he may have given to Malouda, Anelka or­ Drogba
    On the the streets of Barcelona everywhere­ it's fiesta !
    O what a nite at Bridge, filled with­ drama that everyone will remember

    From yourstrulyhere, on Fri 8 May 7:59AM

  11. some said barca is better side...some said man united­ is the best side...final is another story...who can­ play with less preasure...n high team spirit will­ win...so for me...this is the best final....for past 5­ years best team...

    From Addy N, on Fri 8 May 5:24AM

  12. BARCELONA 6 LYON 3
    BARCELONA 5 BAYERN 1
    BARCELONA 1­ CHELSEA 1 (AWAY GOAL AND PLAY WITH 10­ PLAYER)

    BARCELONA 3 MU 0......!!!!

    From Muhd, on Fri 8 May 3:29AM

  13. Perez,

    Don't insult all ladies
    By referring to­ them as titties
    Cos one day you may have some­ babies
    Who will get the same from some smarties.

    From yourstrulyhere, on Fri 8 May 2:48AM

  14. boring english football! overpaid slope -headed­ butt-monkeys, and that is just the commentators!,the­ players would be better suited to a shakespearian drama­ with their quality of play-acting. the vast majority of­ the fans are self-opinionated cerberally challenged­ neanderthals.
    the best league in the world? hahaha!­ stick to doing what your right hand is most familiar­ with, meeting mrs palmer!!!!

    From kenny f, on Fri 8 May 1:34AM

  15. It would indeed be a dream final. Most neutrals would­ want it especially after watching last year's­ final. I hope Man United will win it in open play­ simply to prove that the English brand of football is­ better than the continental. I am a Man United­ supporter but had it not been Man United I would have­ loved to see Liverpool take on Barcelona. Go EPL and­ conquer the continent.

    From cokrowinoto, on Fri 8 May 1:27AM

  16. the final has been played. this is like AC-milan and­ Barcelona in 2006.
    now the game against MUFC will be a­ neutral field with a team that goes for the kill­ itself:)
    this is the perfect recipe for the CATALAN­ soldiers, and the timely return of comrade puyol and­ henry
    visca el barca

    From Phobia, on Fri 8 May 1:18AM

  17. theprettys - if you want to be an ignorant moron, be my­ guest. @#$%-face!

    From pegez, on Fri 8 May 1:13AM

  18. la_carlamms - your a tit. Man U have allowed 2 more­ goals against than chelski but have scored 4 more­ goals. so what? How many games did Man U go without­ being scored on by EPL teams???

    From pegez, on Fri 8 May 1:08AM

  19. fergie - shut yer trap. I am a football purist - thats­ why I want Man U to win - they play total football. How­ many touches of the ball did Messi have last night?

    From pegez, on Fri 8 May 1:05AM

  20. The gyspy explained to me why the winner last nite was­ not Chelsea:

    It must be my crystal was hazy
    So there­ were some things i did not see
    I did not see this­ referee and a guy called Michel Platini
    But one word­ makes all the difference and it began with the letter­ "C"
    Then the gypsy whispered silently into my­ ear that word and it was: "conspiracy"

    From yourstrulyhere, on Fri 8 May 1:01AM
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