Official Champions League Final Thread

[celticmaestro]

Manchester United V. Chelsea
Venue: Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow
Date: Weds, 21 May
Kick-off: 1945 BST (1445 ET)



too close to call this game. united have the better team, but are chelsea motivated by losing the league to united?

paul scholes will certainly have a big part to play having missed the final in 1999, as will michael ballack who's form is outstanding and is determined to make up for leverkusen's heartbreak in 2002.

thoughts everyone?

[Hrvoje]

I'm a bit rusty on football since the season started- it's been all Celtics for me!

I will go with ManU - they have been magnificent this season.

Tevez and Rooney are too quick for slow Chelsea backs, but in the midfield I think Chelsea will outrun Manchester if we exclude Ronaldo who plays a roll only known to him.

[Roy Hobbs]

Go Man Utd!  Sadly, I have to work, but I'll be tivo-ing this one.

[galen]

A big United supporter...I sadly will also have to work.

I think these teams are very evenly matched, but the one true game changer is Ronaldo.  If he steps up and plays at his highest level I feel the Red Devils will come through.  I also could see this game being a bit of a defensive battle.  Hopefully United can grab an early goal that will really open the game up.

[35Reggie]

It's gotta be Chelsea. They are playing outstanding soccer right now and their defense is superior.

[ACF]

It's gotta be Chelsea. They are playing outstanding soccer right now and their defense is superior.

I strongly disagree.
Well, I'm a huge Man Utd fan as well, so
I guess I'm a bit biased, but anyway...
United were actually better than CFC in
the Premiership, offensively AND defensively.
United scored 80 goals and conceded just 22
while Chelsea scored 65 goals and conceded 26.
So superior is not the right word, IMO.

[celticmaestro]

It's gotta be Chelsea. They are playing outstanding soccer right now and their defense is superior.

I strongly disagree.
Well, I'm a huge Man Utd fan as well, so
I guess I'm a bit biased, but anyway...
United were actually better than CFC in
the Premiership, offensively AND defensively.
United scored 80 goals and conceded just 22
while Chelsea scored 65 goals and conceded 26.
So superior is not the right word, IMO.

i think superior is the word that would describe united right now, not chelsea.

as a man u fan, i fear the threat of michael ballack. contain him and that's half the job done. we really need hargreaves to do a number on him because ferdinand/vidic will be too busy dealing with drogba.

as for ronaldo, if he can start on the left and essien (or whoever) at right back he will have a huge advantage.

[celticmaestro]

Go Man Utd!  Sadly, I have to work, but I'll be tivo-ing this one.

yeah, you wont wanna miss this.

[celticmaestro]

not long now. teams news: ashely cole may not play, took a knock on his ankle. meanwhile park may come in to the line-up for united.

8 hours and counting...

[ederson]

Chelsea seems to be tougher and better team in defence. Especialy in midfield Lampard and Makelele are too good for any player including Carrick, Scholes  and Hargreaves. But after almost 70 games for each team the stats don`t lie. Man U has had a better defence!

Man U is turned into an Italian team since the group stage. They only scored more than 1 goal in one game against Roma and i think only Lion managed to score one. Sir Alex won`t change the recipe. Man U will play the same safe way as they did in Barcelona. But i think this style suits better Chelsea. Man U in an open field , in a fast paced game can`t be stopped and they should try to take advantage of it. My guess is (risking making completely foul of myself) that it will be a very slow , risk free game.

I`d like MU to win it but i won`t bet a single euro on it

[drogbagarnett]

The real threat here for ManU is called Didier Drogba !!!
Chelsea most productive and lethal weapon in most of the finals they played since acquiring him..!
Drogba for an Hat-trick?

[celticmaestro]

The real threat here for ManU is called Didier Drogba !!!
Chelsea most productive and lethal weapon in most of the finals they played since acquiring him..!
Drogba for an Hat-trick?

disagree here. i think rio and vidic can contain drogba. but i'm not sure if ballack can be contained by hargreaves. look what happened at stamford bridge a few weeks ago, drogba was quiet and ballack scored twice for the win.

[ederson]

Drogba although excellent player can`t do much against two defenders like Rio and Vidic. I doubt Grant will play a second striker close to Drogba so he will have some more space. Chelsea`s midfield is to far behind didier and he seems to wrestle alone with the opposite defence.

One small correction , in the last game Hargreaves didn`t play in midfield but he was right defender. So ballack wasn`t his responsibilty. I don`t think that this game should be taken into account though...

[asterix]

Glory, Glory Man United!!!!
what a fun season this is: C's where they are, ManU making it to the finals (and winning hopefully) and my home team Maccabi Tel Aviv making it all the way to the euroleague finals in Madrid (but loosing to a way better CSKA moscow team)

Moscow will be red tonight!

[RL35]

while i am not a Chelsea supporter, the thought of Man U winning the double is sickening.  therefore i will root for my french brethren (Malouda, Anelka, Makaele).  Go Blues!

On a related note, how about Arsene swooping up Samir Nasri from Marsaille.  Nasri and Cesc paired up in an attacking midfield should make all Gunners' fans excited.