We give ten reasons why the Catalan giants will go back home with their tails between their legs:
The Gaffer
Read about the achievements of Pep Guardiola and it’s easy to get lost in a sea of hyperbole. For sure, he’s done well, but it should be remembered he inherited a great team. Sir Alex Ferguson, on the other hand, remains head and shoulders above all his peers.
The Player
Forget about all the gossip, injunctions and tabloid front pages. As the last few weeks have shown, it’s hard to put Ryan Giggs off his game on the pitch and he has remained as influential as ever this season.
Three Lung Park
In Park Ji Sung, Manchester United has arguably the hardest working footballer in the world: someone who will chase every ball and not stop running until the final whistle.
Home Sweet Home
Although it may not be Old Trafford, Manchester United fans will still be able to claim home advantage at Wembley. After all, Surrey is just round the corner.
The end of the rivalry
Manchester United recently won its 19th league title in England, finally surpassing Liverpool’s record. However, the team’s Merseyside rivals still hold the upper hand in Champions League wins (5-3), and Ferguson will want to make sure he can knock them off their perch on the continent.
A dodgy pitch
Although there have been improvements in recent months, the Wembley pitch remains suspect and can dramatically change the nature of a match. If it gets scarred badly on Saturday, Barcelona’s free-flowing style could be seriously affected.
Au revoir, van der Sar
Looking to go out at the top, Edwin van der Sar will play his last game for the reds in the final, having announced his retirement earlier this season. Fairytales do come true, don’t they?
Impressionable youth
Viktor Kassai will become the youngest ever Champions League final referee on Saturday, something which Sir Alex Ferguson will have undoubtedly taken note of. Not that he would ever try to influence a referee…
London calling
What happened the last time Barcelona played in London? They lost 2-1 to Arsenal. That’s right, not only are Barca beatable, they also have unhappy memories of the capital.
Revenge
Sir Alex Ferguson is a manager who bears grudges. Just ask the BBC. So imagine what he has in store for the only side that has ever beaten him in a Champions League final
And one reason why they won’t win
Unfortunately, Manchester United are playing Barcelona. That’s right, they’re up against arguably the greatest team of all time.
They have no chance.
