Twitter Ye Not As The Best Take on The Best At Wembley

It’s not all about the now named superstar footballer this years Champions League final actually features the two current top teams in Europe- it does not happen very often, that the cream make it all the way to the top. History will be made as either Barcelona the Catalan kingpins or the Red Devils of Manchester United will lift a fourth European Cup.

Despite winning the Premier League by 9 points, dropping just two points at home and not conceding an away goal in the Champions’ League Manchester United only have a chance of lifting a fourth continental championship if Barcelona have an off day- according to Gary Lineker anyway. Is his judgement clouded by the fact that he played for the Spaniards and lost a final to Steua Bucharest in the worst final of the modern game or is it just that the sofa sitting jug eared TV Icon doesn’t rate the current United side?

Two years ago United defended their title all the way to a decider after a lucky penalties win in the Moscow rain they were bedazzled by a Barca side who had Samuel E’To leading their line as Messi pulled the strings and the 2-0 scoreline didn’t do the Catalan kingpins justice. 24 months on it’s looking like a much tighter match, even though many in the game are saying that Barca are up there with the Real Madrid side of the 60s who won five titles and the United Busby babes of the late fifties who surely would have dominated had the Munich plane crash not destroyed a generation. This barca side deserve plaudits for being a great side whereas this United side have dogged determination rather than flair at their core and that is what makes them an animal not to be underestimated on the biggest stage of all at Wembley.

Both sides have lifted the trophy at the old Wembley in the shadow of the twin towers- United in 68 as George Best showed his genius and Barcelona in 92 as Ronald Koeman’s beautiful free kick settled matters against Sampdoria in one of the modern era’s closest and most technically brilliant finals.

The two coaches are successful but are at opposite ends of the career spectrum with Guardiola a novice compared to Ferguson’s Croesus like collection of silverware since winning the FA Cup in 1990. Since then the dour Scot has won an incredible dozen Premier Leagues, Five FA Cups, 2 Champions Leagues, The European Cup Winners’ Cup, World Club Cup, Club World Championship 2 League Cups , and the UEFA Supercup – so equalling Bob paisley with three European Cups would surely end any lingering debate – which should be over anyway Ferguson should be regarded as greater than Busby, Shankly, Paisley,Stein or Clough is without question but a third European Cup would silence even members of the prior quartet’s families.

Guardiola is one of the new breed and has magnetically gathered trophies with Barca, a great player is becoming a great coach and few would disagree. While he has the photogenic looks that Mourinho uses so effectively, Guardiola is quieter and cleverer than the man still derided at the Nou Camp as “The Translator” following his spell as the late great Sir Bobby Robson’s interpreter. The former skipper of Barca has learnt a lot from Ferguson and his team demonstrates flair and pragmatism in equal measure, United are dour, but Barca can’t always be the circus act the media wants them to be and the footballing world will hope that a memorable match is in the offing.

Bob "The Voice" McKenzie Twitter: @BobTheVoice About: