Champions League Final: Man United exercise penalties while Barcelona are determined to win

Fri, Feb 10 2012

Wed, May 27 2009 10:40 CET

byNick Iliev

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Champions League Final: Man United exercise penalties while Barcelona are determined to win

Barcelona fans in Rome

On the eve of club football's most prolific, prestigious and expensive cup final, both camps are making final preparation for the titanic clash awaiting in the Eternal City on Wednesday night, May 27. United are aiming to successfully defend their Champions League trophy. Alex Ferguson strives to equal the achievement of Liverpool's Bob Paisley, the only manager in history to win three European Champions trophies.

And with that, United are aiming to join the exclusive club of Real Madrid, AC Milan, Liverpool, Ajax and Bayern Munich, teams who have won the trophy four or more times. Barcelona, meanwhile, are aiming for their third Big Ears, which, if secured, will be the icing on the cake of an already tremendous season for the Catalans.

United's star player Cristiano Ronaldo has hinted that Ferguson's camps has considered the possibility that the match could go to extra time, again, and subsequently to penalties. Reportedly, the entire team were practising spot kicks ahead of tonight's Champions league final.

In 2008 the Red Devils dispatched Chelsea in the shoot-out, with Chelsea's John Terry and Nicolas Anelka both missing. According to Ronaldo, the English side have been taking "a lot" of penalties, the Guardian has reported. "As a team, too." Ronaldo said.

Meanwhile Barcelona's midfielder Xavi Hernandez claimed that the Spanish champions had not been doing any extra practice.

"It would be pointless as you don't get match-day tension in training. I like taking on the responsibility at times like that and I'm one of the players who usually takes them."

Barcelona's football director is aware that his team are in the Eternal City to complete "the work we have done all season". The team is playing phenomenal football, won the Spanish title, demolished their arch rivals Real Madrid 6-2 in the latest derby, but stepping on the summit of Europe for the third time would be the ultimate achievement.

"Winning the Champions League would be the icing on the cake of an extraordinary season," Txiki Begiristain said before the club's website.

"We have done very well to get here and now we have to finish off the job of a whole season. This is a unique opportunity for the club and they have to enjoy it and find the right mentality to win it."

On the topic of what the Catalans could expect from the English champions, the Barca boss has said: "I imagine a conservative, defensive team, and I clearly see FC Barcelona creating pressure up front. Their danger is playing a conservative style, because they have an exceptional counter attack."

Whether or not United will end up massing players behind the ball, or will go at them remains to be seen. One thing is certain, players like Wayne Rooney are not the type who can be easily content with defending for 90 minutes. More alarming news for the Catalans is that Rio Ferdinand has confirmed he is fit and ready to face Barcelona.

"I’ve been training for three or four days without a problem, so I’m fine," said Ferdinand at Stadio Olimpico, as quoted by the BBC

"I spoke to the manager. He knows I wouldn’t put myself in a position to play in the game if I wasn’t 100 per cent fit because we’ve got a talented squad.

"If my fitness was ever going to be detrimental to the team and the result, then I wouldn’t play. I wouldn’t do that to the team. The team winning is more important than an individual playing in a cup final." he said.