The Sun-Herald

Barcelona, Manchester United, Beauty

Will this week's UEFA Champions League Final be the greatest game ever?

Liverpool and Milan (and still-disgruntled Chelsea) fans may be justified in disagreement but on paper, or even on computer screen, if the prospect of these teams, currently the best in the world playing the most attractive football in the world, meeting in a do-or-die final does not excite then it's time to click over to www.lawnbowls.com (yes, it exists).

Seventy-six teams entered this tournament that began last July with Anorthosis of Cyprus beating Pyunik Yerevan of Armenia 3-0 over two legs.

Now, almost a year later, even with Anorthosis embarking on a European adventure and somehow earning a 3-3 draw with Italian giants Inter in later rounds, the final pits the two champions from the two best leagues in the world up against each other.

Who would have guessed?

Beyond the almost impossible idea of Anorthosis (or Pyunik Yerevan, for that matter) making the final, Barcelona versus Manchester United is a game of dreams, especially for a neutral (and, yes, that means you, too, Chelsea fans).

The ingredients make for, potentially, a spikier cocktail than any Long Island Iced Tea.

Two teams that pass and attack.

Barcelona's Leo Messi, perhaps the best player in the world, versus Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo, also perhaps the best player in the world (but no matter what you may hear elsewhere, this match will not decide who can claim that title).

The wise old master, Manchester United coach Sir Alex Ferguson, with a house full of trophies, versus Barcelona's Josep "Pep" Guardiola, a first-season rookie who has won everything on offer in Spain this season and who has been an intrinsic thread of the Catalan club since his days as a youth player.

Barcelona's seemingly free-rein attack of Messi, Sammy Ett'o, Thierry Henry, and Andres Iniesta versus Ferguson's choice of will-score-eventually attackers in Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tevez, and Dimitar Berbatov.

But if defence is the best form of attack, then, ironically (or not) this could be where the game is won or lost on Wednesday night in Rome.

Chelsea coach Guus Hiddink had had his team park a virtual bus in front of its goal against Barcelona in their controversial semi-final. That tie didn't attract ire just because of the referee's shaky performance at Stamford Bridge but also because Hiddink's almost effective but ultimately ugly stifling tactics nearly paid off.

In Rome, it will the attacking nature of each team's defenders, plus the absence of Barcelona's wide players, that could tip the scale.

United will go into Wednesday night's showdown with Rio Ferdinand fighting fitness but jinking Patrice Evra having to balance his desire to attack with the responsibility of containing Leo Messi.

At the other end of the pitch, Barcelona will be without Eric Abidal, cruelly sent off in that semi-final against Chelsea, as well as the often influential Dani Alves, also suspended.

Anyone who can predict a result is kidding themselves and, with these two teams, that also means with five minutes to go, regardless of the scoreline at the time.

Torn between two lovers? I might suggest a 5-5 draw after extra-time and then 34-33 after an epic penalty shoot-out.

Or maybe even the greatest 0-0 draw of all-time.

That's the beauty of it.