Matchup: Manchester United FC vs Chelsea FC, Uefa Champions League Final
When: Wednesday, May 21
Where: Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow
Time: 2:45 eastern
Channel: ESPN2
Squads:
Manchester United
GK Edwin van der Sar
GK Tomasz Kuszczak
RB Gary Neville (C)
RB Wes Brown
RB John O'shea
CB Rio Ferdinand
CB Nemanja Vidic
CB Gerard Pique
LB Patrice Evra
LB Mikael Silvestre
RW Cristiano Ronaldo
RW Chris Eagles
RW Ji-Sung Park
DM Owen Hargreaves
CM Michael Carrick
CM Paul Scholes
CM Anderson
CM Darren Fletcher
CM Roderigo Possebon
LW Ryan Giggs
LW Nani
ST Wayne Rooney
ST Louis Saha
ST Carlos Tevez
ST **** Fangzhou
Chelsea
GK Petr Cech
GK Carlo Cudicini
GK Hilario
RB Juliano Belletti
RB Paulo Ferreira
CB Tal Ben Haim
CB John Terry (C)
CB Alex
CB Ricardo Carvalho
LB Ashley Cole
LB Wayne Bridge
RW Joe Cole
RW Shaun Wright-Phillips
DM Claude Makelele
CM Michael Essien
CM Michael Ballack
CM John Obi Mikel
CAM Frank Lampard
LW Florent Malouda
ST Andriy Shevchenko
ST Didier Drogba
ST Salomon Kalou
ST Nicolas Anelka
Key Matchups: (According to Lou Macari)
Didier Drogba vs Rio Ferdinand- "Rio has enjoyed his best season in a red shirt and his performance on Wednesday could go a long way to hel;ping United win. He'll need to be on his guard for Drogba's tactics-I've noticed more and more this season that he tends to go to ground quite easily. I wouldn't say Drogba is Chelsea's main weapon- Essien, Ballack, and Lampard are just as important in my opinion. But give him a glimpse of goal and he'll punish you as he did in last season's FA Cup final. I've got great confidence in Rio though, and I believe he ha the strength, the pace, and the experience to cope with any cetre-forward in the world"
Ashley Cole vs Cristiano Ronaldo- "The battle between these two, which has been ongoing on both the domestic and international level, could have a big bearing on who ends the night victorious. Cristiano has had and outstanding season and he has the opportunity to really make a name for himself in the biggest club game he'll have ever played in. I think Ashley Cole lost his way a bit after leaving Arsenal, but he's sharp, quick, and good in the tackle and on his day is a top defender. And he'll know that if he can mark Ronaldo out of the game then Chelsea have a great chance of winning. I just hope he has and off day and Ronny is in form."
John Terry vs Wayne Rooney- "There are few players in the Premier League as commited and determined to their teams as these two. Wayne is such an important played to United-he showed that against Wigan, winning the penalty and setting up Ryan Giggs to seal the title. He'll be up against a tough customer in John Terry, but Wayne is more than capable of getting the better of him despite the height difference between the pair. I've seen him play against bigger players than Terry and really gave them problems. He's an intellegent boy and knows how to play against any type of centre-half. On the night, Wayne can be as important to us as Ronaldo."
Heading into the Matchup:
Manchester United locked up the Premier League on the last day of the season with a victory over Wigan two Sunday's ago, with Chelsea waiting in the wings for a slip up, but they were the ones who drew at Bolton. Confidence boost or drop, over confidence? Who knows, but Chelsea have been magnificent until the draw, while United have had slip ups at Stamford Bridge, as well as at Ewood Park, the home of Blackburn Rovers. With everyone healthy, eventhought Drogba and Terry have a few knocks, this is going to be an incredible game.
Prediction: Sorry guys, I'm not gonna try to predict this battle. Remeber, 50 years after the Munich Air Disaster, 40 years after our First European Cup. First all English final, lets hope it's more exciting than last year's FA Cup final.
Revisiting the '98 NBA Lockout
Comments (11)
good stuff. but, with regards to Ashley and ronaldo, ronaldo will absolutely pulverize cole anyday anywhere. he IS the best player in the world. ROoney will also hold his ground against john terry. as for didier and rio, drogba is extremely physical and dangerous and i am very anxious to see how rio reacts in this game. i predict a very physical game and a good match. but, if manu gets early goals, i think chelsea is done for.
reddevil17 | 05/19/08, 08:57 PM
Report Offensive CommentThe Key match up will be the midfield, or actually, Essien vs ManU's whole team since he just seems to run ramped against any team no matter where hes playing. Anyway, seeing as Ashly Cole is a great attacker from the back you should add to that matchup whether or not Ronaldo will hinder his going foward.
D'A | 05/19/08, 10:17 PM
Report Offensive CommentAshley Cole is probably the only guy that can match C.Ronaldo's speed. I agree with D'A. I think the key match-up is Essien vs. the ManUtd midfield. Essien is easily the most complete player in the world. I don't know who to cheer for. I don't like either team. But I do like Essien and I do like C.Tevez.
Big Chaco | 05/19/08, 11:33 PM
Report Offensive CommentGreat blog. I like to see Essien and Drogba but I predict a 2-1 Manchester United triumph tomorrow afternoon.
All I know is I will be in front the TV ready to watch.
J. HOVA: ES MUY BIEN | 05/20/08, 10:27 AM
Report Offensive CommentI guess ill be rooting for Chelsea, however ill really just be rooting for an exciting game. 2-2, ManU scores a 3rd in extra time.
D'A | 05/20/08, 12:28 PM
Report Offensive Commentnice match-ups. in another article i saw a Ronaldo/Essien match-up as he'll most likely be playing at RB.
this should be a great game. I predict a lower scoring game. 1-1. ManU taking it 2-1 in extra time.
Could someone enlighten me about Roderigo Possebon? Ive seen his name on the squad list before but who is he and where does he come from?
ctsubasa | 05/20/08, 04:43 PM
Report Offensive Commentpossebon is a 19 year old brazilian united signed from internacional earlier this year. he plays CM and is highly rated.
he is a box to box middy, and because his father is italian, he has an italian passport, so all his paperwork is easier for him to play in europe. right now hes playing in the reserves, but look for him to eventually help replace scholes.
hell get first team opportunities next year
jeevs BS | 05/20/08, 05:07 PM
Report Offensive Commentnice nice. what were his stats at Internacional? was he a first team player at all?
ctsubasa | 05/21/08, 10:24 AM
Report Offensive Commenti think hes was a youth player
jeevs BS | 05/21/08, 06:51 PM
Report Offensive Comment"First all English final, lets hope it's more exciting than last year's FA Cup final."
Marginally better. I would've preferred it to end with a goal and not penalties (Giggsy's chance in extra time would have been a storybook ending, but Terry got in the way...)
Nail-biting? Yes. Scintillating football? Nope. Drama? Yes. Lack of "prima donna" tactics? Um... (1) Drogba's "Mascherano Slap" to Vidic, (2) CR7's *complete* stop during his penalty--the announcers rightly mentioned that's illegal. Just frickin' keep moving, pretty boy, leave the posing behind when you cross the white line.
Happy for Giggsy? Damn right. Sad for Terry? Yup. Glad to see Drogba leave? Definitely! Disappointed with the hosting of Moscow? Let me count the ways--playing the match in the middle of the night--playing on a slick and barely-there pitch which hadn't had time to settle--playing in "Abramo-Land".
It wasn't a horrible CL final, but for pure entertainment and drama I'd still put the '99 ManUtd comeback from 0-1 down to win 2-1 against Bayern Munich ahead of this one, by quite a margin. Winning in "stoppage" or "injury" time (especially having tied it late in the 2nd half) is more significant to me than winning in a penalty shootout.
Congrats to the Red Devils. See jeevsey, you shouldn't have been so nervous a few weeks back after all ;-)
KansasToonami | 05/22/08, 02:55 PM
Report Offensive CommentNervous, haha
lol
i had like 4 heart attacks in that match
im still nervous about ronaldo leaving, i hope he doesnt take penaltys for us again, i would prefer rooney or giggs
jeevs BS | 05/22/08, 08:32 PM
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