Joe Davies gives us the latest news on our European Cup final opponents.
Its early days yet, but if reports today are to be believed, Barca think that Iniesta and Henry will be fit for the final in Rome in 8 days time.
Both are now set to resume light training and ball work on Thursday after completing light running exercises. Henry’s knee ligament injury is supposedly more of a doubt than Iniesta’s, as a source close to the club revealed, “”They will make it”. Scans have now shown Iniesta’s 2cm thigh tear has healed and is now continuing with hill runs and weights.
Bare in mid that if these two key players (especially Iniesta in my opinion) reach full fitness for the final, Henry won’t have played (competitively) for close to a month and Iniesta for 8 days less. So despite reaching fitness they will go into the most important game of the season without any post injury competitive minutes under their belt.
Finally as we already know, Marquez is out (Injury) and Alves and Abidal are both suspended.
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Iniesta is most definitely the danger man for me – a world class player in my opinion. Hopefully he won’t be at his sharpest for the final.
Milito is out too, Syvinho is old, fingers crossed that Iniesta and Henry don’t make it! We’re getting alot of luck in the build up. If we win i’m gonna go mental! Cannot wait! Scott if you let me know what pub you are in Manc i’ll get you a pint …if we win!
I agree, if Iniesta will be cleared fit for the match he will pose more of a threat to us than Henry. Henry’s endurance and match practice must have decreased a little. But anyways, I just hope we’ll keep all our guys fit for the game, that’s my only concern at the moment.
agree kings, iniesta is a monster player! I’d go as far as to say he’s better than messi but as scott has rightly pointed out, match fitness is important and he wont have played for 3 weeks. I still think its their weakened defence thats the deciding factor for me and with wayne and cristiano on top of their game right now, i’m confident we can hurt them, 8 days to go! bring it on!
Whats the news on Rio? I hear Fergie is saying he should be ok…. Is this “the injury is not too bad- should be ok” or “finger crossed-should be ok”. Losing Rio would be a disaster.
Iniesta is Barca’s best player and dictates play, Messi was disappointing in the two legs against the rent boys but Iniesta was their inspiration, What team would you like SAF to field and what will he select, debate.
I was hoping Iniesta wouldn’t make it.I think that for this game,Scholes might be more suited as Fletcher’s replacement than Giggs is.We will need players who can keep the ball and slow down the tempo.
my line up would be…
VDS
O Shea
Rio
Vidic
Evra
Carrick
Anderson
Giggs
Park
Ronaldo
Rooney
I can see fergie picking scholes instead of either giggs or anderson but i would prefer if he didnt start..barca will not give him a second to control the ball.. i wouldnt mind seeing a 442 with berbatov up top with rooney and with park and ronaldo on the wings but its definately better to start with a 433 than to end with a 433 against barca.. an early goal like last year and i dont see them coming back!! Cmon united!!!!
My first XI is like sim’s only with Scholes instead of Giggs.But you never know.SAF could go with Tevez upfront and not play a 3rd midfielder and make this wide open.
Can i ask you guys a question… Thanks.
Do you think Barca will be a very tough challenge? Cos i’m just hearing from some mates at school (yes i know they’re only 16 so don’t really know what theyre talking about) that they think it’ll be quite easy based on their performance v Chelsea.
But i don’t think people should think that way. As a teams form can change for the better at any time. Frankly, i’m bricking it!
will be dissapointed if Tevez starts instead of Berba. With Tevez on the bench you always know that he can come on and change the game up, doesnt have the same impact when he starts the game.
Forget Messi… yes he is a wicked low to the ground talented footballer… but in my eyes if you stop Iniesta… u stop Barca…
costa…scholes has been losing possession a lot under pressure from the opposition this season.. at least giggs can skip past a player and then make a pass as opposed passing back.. we need to keep the ball and thats why id prefer berbatov to tevez for this game.. we need his golden touch!
I don’t think they’ll be easy, I worry about our selection but with Rooney doubling up on Messi with Evra we should be okay I hope along with their injury problems, if Ronaldo turns up it’ll be game set and match ‘cuz their defense simply won’t cope!
I honestly believe we’re gonna win this. Barca’s defence is decimated and even at full strength can be very suspect at times. They haven’t done well recently against English teams and only managed one very late goal from a stunning strike.
I expect them to have more of the ball and possibly score, but with our physical advantage and devastating counter attack we can grab a few against them. If Ronaldo performs and our midfield can cause Barca’s some problems then it should end in another glorious night in Rome!
Anyone going into town to watch the game?
Think of the spirit of 91… we played barca then… and we played in white…
2-1 united over 90 mins…
B E L I E V E
Sim_Sima69 that’s the thing though.How much pressure will they put on our midfield?Barca are not like the typical English team.Toure will play in midfield and i think their midfield will be Xavi,Keita and Busquets(if Iniesta plays on the left side of the attack).Apart from Keita,the other 3 won’t put too much pressure on our midfield while we are in control of the ball.Of course these are all theories from someone who has never played professionaly.I am sure SAF will figure out the perfect line up.
@unitedgirl15: I don’t think it will be easy. Barca had 2 bad games against Chelsea as well as 2 bad ones against United last year.But i think that compared to those two teams,this United will open up the game a bit more.And that could be to Barca’s benefit.We will see.
I not one wishing the best Barcelona players are injured. Because I think to be the best you’ve got to beat the best. I can imagine going in to work and seeing the one citeh fan who will, unless we play a decent Barcelona side claim that we are only champions because the real Barcelona side was missing. I’d rather go in there knowing it is just as easy for us to lose the game because the side they have. I want to see us play to our strengths and take control of the game and then we will get a measure of how great this team can really be. Also anyone watching will have no excuses and know the best team won. It will also make the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea realise they have no chance of winning the title next year.
i think SAF will try to shut their midfield by playing 3 across the middle and 2 wingers, leaving 1 lone upfront – something similar to the game we played against arsenal.
keep the suuply off their front 3 of eto, henry and messi – go tight on messi and iniesta and we should be fine. then again, anything can happen on the night, and it will be a great match – which i hope we take the cup!
in addition, their guardiola is not as experienced and is relying purely on his players to do the job. he has hardly had any half-time transformations for the team and hardly any inspirational substitutions during his tenure so far.
also, his teamsheet pretty much picks it self and you know in advance who his best elevn is and how he changes them – whereas we have an excellent opportunity to break them down with combinations of our own.
that being said, i would be happy with a goalless first half for us to assess the game or a 1-0 lead at halftime to consolidate. key is not to concede before halftime.
has anyone seen that spainish cunt of a reporter for sky talking about ronaldo’s pre-contract for 70m+12m to ron+8m to his agent untied must be able to do something about this if it is not true
O’Shea at RB v Henry?
Yes Alpha and hopefully Park will track back and help.I think the other side will be the most difficult one.Messi one on one with Evra.At least,Alves won’t be there to back him up.
costas – ive seen barca a lot this year and their game depends solely on possession..when the have it they keep it and when they dont theyll do everything to get it back!
by the way i think oshea deserves a start, hes been excellent all season and im sure we can rely on him to do a good job next week.. plus its not like we should be afraid of someone running at him and getting a cross in..with rio and vidic at the back we will clear those crosses all night long..
only a week to go!! cant wait
You are right sim.Barcelona do try to win the ball back.The good thing is that they don’t have someone like Essien to win back possesion.We will see.Fergie last year played both games against them with just 2 central midfielders.We will see.O’Shea will definitely start.
Costa’s I thought Arsenal were doubling up on O’Shea in the league exploiting his weakness of not being very fast.
I think playing 4-3-3 against Barcelona as we did against Arsenal in the 2nd leg would be a vrey good place to start. Get Tevez in for Fletcher though.
Van der Sar
O’Shea
Rio
Vidic
Evra
Anderson
Carrick
Park
Tevez
Rooney
Ronaldo
Bring Giggs, Scholes, and Berbatov on for Anderson, Park, and Tevez second half.
The good thing Alpha is that Henry is not as fast as he was either.It will depend on whether Silvinho will join the attack on that side.I think Park will help O’Shea out though.The problem in all of this will be if Iniesta plays on the left side of the attack.O’Shea will have a problem with him.That’s where Fletcher would have helped out.
Hate to say it. But we have to put a man on Iniesta and target him for the first 15-20 minutes. Let a few players really clatter into him and see if he gets rattled. I doubt the Barca players will like the physical stuff and we should try to exert our dominance early to knock them off their stride.
Last thing we want is them getting into that flow of passing the ball and then competing with them in possession because chances are we’ll lose that battle. The way to beat Barca is to hound them,to rough them up a little and then to take our opportunities on the break where they are weak.
Set pieces, crosses and free kicks is hopefully where we will show them who’s boss and i pray that Ronaldo is in one of his moods where everything he touches turns to gold.
I want to see Iniesta play so there are no excuses, but i also want to see him battered by the end of half time by the likes of Carrick, Anderson and Park.
thank god alves isnt playing… i cant stand that bastard rolling around on the floor every chance he gets.. i feel like breaking my tv when i see him cheat and get away with it..
my mate saw fletch with his family at alton towers yesterday, said hes a top bloke and quite lanky too!
O’shea has to start. Rafeal will get raped by the likes of Messi and Henry. He is far too inexperienced and just watching Robinho skin him a few times tells you he is not yet ready for prime time. We shouldn’t expose him to world class players and have what happened to Gibbs happen to the young lad.
O’shea isn’t as quick but his positional and physical strength should allow him to manage and Barca if he has cover from the midfield in the form of Park or Rooney.
O’shea has to start. There is simply no one else who can do the job for us in the right back slot.
How we could have done with the right side we had in last year’s final hey guys?Brown and Hargo will really be missed in a game like this one.They were also really solid in the games against Barca.Given the circumstances,we will need a big game from Anderson.
I hate to say it, as it sounds disrespectful, but I hope Scholes doesn’t start. I just think he’ll pick up a yellow in less than five mins. He wouldn’t be able to get anywhere near Xavi or Iniesta in the middle. We’re really going to miss Fletch and Hargo here.
I think we just have to attack them, with Ronaldo going at their left back and Rooney going at their right back. Evra will be ok against Messi. (i hope)
Scholes won’t start. There is no chance of it happening. Fergie knows he would get run ragged by Barca’s Xavi and Iniesta and probably get a yellow cad in the first 10 minutes for an ill timed tackle. It will have to be Carrick, Giggs and Anderson.
Honestly i worry about Evra. He doesn’t look solid defensively anymore and hasn’t looked like he is disciplined about his position when he goes forward anymore. On more then one occasion he has had to have Rooney / Park bail him out which will not work against a superior opponent like Messi.
Evra can mark Messi out of the game, but he will have to play man and stick to him like a fly on shit. I’d like to see Evra shadow messi the entire game. If Messi goes in at half time and takes a piss i want Evra to be standing in the next stall checking out what direction the spray goes. (ok, maybe that’s a bit much…but you get my point).
Arbeloa and Bosingwa marked Messi out of the game when they played him by never letting him come inside and break into the center. If Evra remains disciplined and get the help we can neutralize the messi threat and that will go a long way into stopping Barca.
I just hope Evra brings his A game to the finals because he hasn’t looked the same player he was last year for most of this season.
not sure. i’d like scholes to play even with his rustyness, as on form he can control the game and retain possession. i’d be much more confident with him in middle than giggs. giggs is hit or miss with a lot of his passing, some games he gives the ball away way too much in middle. scholes would be the better % play i’d guess. lose the ball against barca and u dont’ get it back for 10 mins
park, carrick, anderson could survive if carrick plays well, but i think carrick, scholes, anderson would be better.
or we go for a counter attack team with ronaldo up front. real shame fletcher is suspended.
not sure who will play up front, ronaldo and rooney 100% but berba or tevez? neither?
in sir alex we trust
not sure why you think scholes will be run ragged when he scored the winner in last years champs league semi final (and had a solid game overall)
true..and he played a part in the build up to ronaldos goal last year in moscow too..
If Giggsy does start his passing needs to be alot better than against Arsenal on Saturday, he had a very poor game in my opinion.
I would go :- VDS
JOS (no question) Vidia Rio Evra
Anderson Carrick
Ronnie Park
Rooney Berbatov
A year in Football makes a hell of a difference Macha and Sim Sim especially at Scholesy’s age. Plus Sir Alex WILL start with Carrick and I don’t like the two playing together, never seem to play well together.
Furthermore Pat has been playing better lately.
BELIEVE!!! United WILL do it !
i would go with the same team as Sim_Sima69.Rooney on the left & Park on the right wings with Ron spear heading the attack.Barca most of the times play a high line & we can counter attack them with Ron & Rooney with some through balls.BELIEVE
Scholes will not start.He can come on in the 60-70th.
My line-up is:
VDS
O’Shea Rio Vida Evra
Anderson
Park Carrick Giggs Rooney
Berbatov
Ronaldo
Boogeyman you have put one player extra.I think that Berbatov won’t start.It will be Ronaldo on his own up front.
Oh sorry….I meant Ronaldo and Rooney could switch and Berba would come on as a sub…
Yeah,that’s how i also think it will happen.But you never know.With Tevez’s running,he could play instead of Giggs.In the games against Barca last year,SAF played with Carrick and Scholes in midfield,Ronaldo as a centre forward and Tevez behind him.Tevez was also tracking back a lot.
With Barca’s full backs suspended, I think we must attack the wings. That means having forward players that can challenge in the air. Ronaldo can, Rooney can (although he missed sitters in the last few games), Berbatov can. I think Park and Rooney on the wings, Berba and Ronnie up front.
Ando and Carrick in the centre. Defence JOS, Vidic, Rio (or evans), Evra.
I dont have to say who i want in goal
@costas:You’re right.I think we could play Tevez in the centre of midfield(call me crazy,but it could work) and shock them,because his running could help close down Iniesta and Xavi.
@Drabik:If we do attack them all out and lose the ball,they will screw us.But,you’re right,our physical presence and their injury and suspension problems could help our attacks.Then,it could be Rooney and Ronaldo on the wings,Carrick and Anderson in the middle,and Berba and Tevez up front.But then SAF said Park will start,so maybe Park and Rooney on the wings and Ronnie and Tevez up front.
Whatever team Sir Alex picks,I’m sure is the best one for us…
i say go with your 11 best players!
vds
o’shea, rio, vida, fabio (if fit)/evra
Anderson, Carrick
ronaldo, Tevez, Berbatov, Rooney
Rooney on the lest is vital for us, especially since evra is going to start in all probability. Messi is going to run riot, and Evra has had his problems recently. Ronaldo and o’shea seem to be a surprisingly good combination going forward, it helps that Sheazy isn’t afraid to go into the opposition’s box.
*left not lest
Bit too risky mate.
I think both will make it. even on injections or so. both real threat, but the lack of real game for the last weeks they might (and hopefully will) fail under expectations
VDS
O’Shea Rio Vida Evra
Anderson Carrick
Park Berba Wazza
Ronaldo
Berba will help to keep the ball as much as we can. Carrick will do the passing, Wazza, Park, Anderson the running.
Ando because Fletch won’t play. Maybe Giggs, i don’t know.
King Eric – Agree about Giggs mate, he seriously needs to sort his passing out if he plays. Shocking against Arsenal, and they were simple passes that went astray. Let’s hope the white kit has the 1991 effect.