The Dream Final Is On
It is the world’s best team of last year – winners of the European
Cup, the World Club Cup and the Premier League – against the side
that many consider the world’s best this year. Sir Alex Ferguson
reckons this is his strongest team ever; Catalan commentators have
described Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona as the greatest of all time.
Could any side other than Barcelona deny United their right to the
tag of favourites? If the European Cup final is supposed to be
between Europe’s best two clubs, this is the right pairing. Rome
will be historic: between them United and Barcelona have appeared
in eight finals but they have never met there. They have met
before, though. And if Chelsea-United conjures up penalty
shoot-outs, Barcelona-United brings to mind Romario and Stoichkov,
Yorke and Cole at their peak. A 4–0 to
Barcelona, a 2–2, two 3–3s.
Sid Lowe, The Guardian
Also high on the agenda is Paul Scholes sympathising with Darren
Fletcher’s final suspension. Scholes suffered his own Champions
League heartache in 1999 when he and Roy Keane were suspended for
the Nou Camp final.
However, The Sun reports that Fletch could be handed a
“sensational reprieve”, with UEFA official
David Taylor lending his backing to the United midfielder’s hopes
of overturning his semi-final dismissal.
The Daily Star and Daily Express claim that Sir Alex has
promised Ji-sung Park a place in his Champions League starting
line-up after his recent performances. ‘Unsung hero gets the nod’
is the Express headline.
Patrice Evra has urged the Reds to sign-up talismanic winger and
French international teammate Franck Ribery from Bayern Munich in
the summer, according to The Sun.