Gentleman, it's very refreshing to interact with classy fans such as yourselves before a big match.....here's to hoping for a great match ....
If ManU score first early the game will be ugly. If Barca score early first, there will be a lot of goals and the game will be exciting.
I agree, I will make a prediction.The team scoring first , will go on and win the game.Although with Messi on the pitch anything can happen Come on FCB!!!
So where will you guys watch the game? I will be out numbered 10 to 1 with most football fans being Man United fans here in Cape Town. But hopefully the place will have a few cules.
for big games I end up being so emotional and if things didn't go our way I may end up beating someone! So it's safer for me to watch it at home!
Pope Benedict XVI meets with referee Massimo Busacca (second left) and his assistants. (insert your own captions )
Sadly, this is the kind of crap that gets the American media to report on soccer (along with C Ronaldo's rocky marriage to Nomar Garciaparra).
Damn...he must have done something... A few hours left...Barcelona is still on course for The Quintuple Copa del Rey - La Liga - UEFA Champions League - To be determined UEFA Super Cup - Qualification in process FIFA Club World Cup - Qualification in process IF...Barcelona wins all of the above, they will become the first club ever, in the history of the sport, to achieve a Quintuple by winning every single oficial title possible in succeding order from local to international.
Here's a direct link to TV3 Catalunya. They've been having live reports all day on the atmosphere in both Barcelona and Roma. Perfect stream that opens up on WMP. Note that TV3 will NOT be showing the match itself.
I'm nervous as hell too. Been up early, can't concentrate on anything!! Will be joining my brother and nephew (and some of his teammates) at a Spanish bar/restaurant/centre to watch it. Last time, 2006 we also went there. The place was set up with many tables, kinda like a wedding, and was packed. Lots of tapas, beer, vino, sangria - good atmosphere. Of course there happened to be one obnoxious person at the table next to ours who was totally anti Barça - a Madrid fan... who kept insulting the team as well as Catalans. Really don't know why she bothered going. Imagine if our BS group here could be watching together, eh? What a blast that would be!!
My emotional state for this one is weird as hell. Obviously, I want to win badly. However, I won't be too disappointed if we lose, as I would have been had we managed to bottle La Liga. What I want more than anything though is for it be a great game that showcases the talents of our players (and ManU's too, I suppose), rather than the war of attrition that was the Chelsea semi-final. It was a great ending, but it came after an incredibly frustrating 180 minutes. I understand and appreciate tactical battles, but I hate watching them. Hopefully we see some good futbol today.
Have read and heard quite a few sources saying that Sylvinho will be starting at left back with Busquets at the pivot. Keita to start on the bench. So, although unofficial, here's the starting eleven that's been suggested by more than a few... Valdés Puyol -- Touré -- Piqué -- Sylvinho Busquets Xavi -- Iniesta Messi -- Eto'o -- Henry That would make it seven cantera players while another shouts instructions from the bench! I'm guessing Ajax in the mid-90s is the last to feature this many academy players in a CL final.
Busquets ahead of Keita, that would be a surprise, although I guess he may go for Busquets cause of his height, to combat the threat Man U pose from free kicks and corners, Toure/Puyol/Busquets/Pique are all strong in the air and Henry and ETO could help out if needed. I'm nervous, if I started drinking now I reckon I could down 10 pints before the kick off, that's why I'm staying away from the boozer and watching the game from home.
I've seen a fair amount of doubt regarding the fitness levels of Iniesta and Henry in the English press (FourFourTwo, the Guardian, etc.)....sure hope they're wrong.