Champion's League Final: What will the fixture be?

Necronomicon

Well, since the semi finals have been decided, thought I'd get some opinions on what the final of the competition will be. Whichever way the semis turn out, it looks like it will be one of Europe's heavyweights against an underdog.
What will the fixture be?
The poll will close the day of the semi-final first leg.

jcoote

arsenal barcelona i reckon

if shevchenko shows up big time then milan have a great chance...but if eto'o shows up too barca have to take it.

the past 2 seasons have been underdog champions (porto and liverpool) so its hard to bet against villareal but arsenal have hit form just at the right time

mchurl

Barcelona V Arsenal for me. I just think the gooners will be too strong for Villareal and Barca simply have too much attacking power for Milan but it will be very close. Will Messi be back for the semi??

Kingp35

Yeah Arsenal Barcelone for me. I think Barcelona will beat AC pretty handily over the two legs if Milans last few performances are anything to go by. Milans defence is getting too old to cope with the likes of Ronaldinho and Eto'o.

Arsenal Villareal is the more interesting tie for me. Villareal are a top side, again a side that many people write off before they have even taken to the field. They tend to sit back a bit and hit sides on the break and have some excellent players in Sorin and Riquelme. Arsenal as we hall know have hit top form at the right time and their defence has been top drawer in the Champions League this season. For me much depends on the game in Highbury. The tie will be close but i think Arsenal might edge it on away goals even.

Necronomicon

It will be differfent for Arsenal, for the first time since the group stages ended they will probably be favourites. I think it's a tough match to call, Villareal have a really impressive European record.
I think Barcelona will get past Milan. I thought Lyon dominated much of the match tuesday night and Milan, for the most part, were pretty poor. Of course they still have some magnificent players that can produce a winning moment like they did against Lyon, but if they play like they did tuesday I think they'll be beaten.
I haven't voted because at the moment I can't pick a winner between Villareal and Arsenal.
Arsenal/Villareal vs Barcelona.

_blank_

Arse -v- Barce

TheMonster

all spanish final - Villareal are a top class team

CorkMan

Villarreal- Barcelona

Riquelme will be instrumental for Villarreal.

Kingp35

Interesting that no one thinks Milan will go through so far

BFassassin

arsenal v barca
barca to win it i reckon

Roddy23

Arsenal - Milan for me

Seen Juventus play Barcelona at the start of the year. Barcelona were beaten. I think the top italian teams will know how to play against Barca. I hope Barca go through, and hope Arsenal do too, but have a sneaking suspicion that Milan will sneak through.

Pepe LeFrits

I agree with Roddy, though I'd love to see an Arsebarse final! The sexy-football fan's wet dream.

I'm not sold on Barca's defensive abilities and Milan, despite their poor performance against Lyon, still have a lot of class. I could see them trying to sufficate Barca and edge them out; they have a lot more pedigree at this level than the Catalans.

Necronomicon's post pretty much sums up my view of Arsenal - Villarreal too. I think Arsenal would win at the moment, but things can change quickly.

eirebhoy

Something crucial in the ties is who plays at home first and Arsenal play at home first vs Villarreal. If Villarreal can hold it to 1 goal in Highbury I think Villarreal will qualify. If Arsenal win by 2 they should be into the final.

Rikand

i fancy an all spanish final

Seaneh

Arsenal v Milan tbh.

Jivin Turkey

Kingp35 wrote:

Yeah Arsenal Barcelone for me. I think Barcelona will beat AC pretty handily over the two legs if Milans last few performances are anything to go by. Milans defence is getting too old to cope with the likes of Ronaldinho and Eto'o.

Arsenal Villareal is the more interesting tie for me. Villareal are a top side, again a side that many people write off before they have even taken to the field. They tend to sit back a bit and hit sides on the break and have some excellent players in Sorin and Riquelme. Arsenal as we hall know have hit top form at the right time and their defence has been top drawer in the Champions League this season. For me much depends on the game in Highbury. The tie will be close but i think Arsenal might edge it on away goals even.

Could you not apply the same logic you used here to your analysis of Milan's chances above?

To be honest I think your synopsis on Villareal's chances is far more apt towards Milan!

Brian017

Barca - Villarreal

Barca to win it.

ullu

Villareal - Barcelona.

I believe Villareal will be able to score in Highbury (only if Forlan, Senna and Riquleme are playing though), 1-1 would be my prediction there and the Spaniards will kill the game at home, 0-0 there. The fact that Villareal is such a small town will cause the local population, media etc. to get behind the team and the players will realise how big the occasion is and (probably) sort it out.

Even after what happened last year, I don't think Milan have any hunger this year. A lot of their team has won it already and they haven't looked at all impressive so far in my opinion. Even though I think Barca are vulnerable against teams that can counterattack quickly, Milan aren't particularly gifted in that department with a midfield of Pirlo, Gattuso and Seedorf. Serginho can cause trouble on the left and could potentially feed Kaka with important balls from a defensively weak Barca right hand side but there's no guarantee he'll be playing in the CL games at that point. 1-1 in the San Siro and 2-1/1-0 in the Nou Camp (I don't know which match is first)

PHB

Milan can't counter attack quickly?

Kaka + Shevcenko are very fast players and it only takes two players to break effectivly, and they do it reguarly.

p.s.
Pirlo is great in a break because of his position, he will play the killer pass.
Gattuso just keeps running and running.
Seedorf is no slouch.

ullu

Perhaps our definitions of fast are different but I wouldn't consider any of those players to be quick. Kaka is technically fast but not quick in the running sense and Shevchenko is nowhere near a player like Owen in terms of chasing a ball. Gattuso is a battler and Pirlo can create a chance from nothing with a pass but I'm talking primarily about speed in counter attacking. Seedorf isn't exactly reknowned for his pace in the way someone like Giggs was in his heyday.

The most successful team in La Liga against Barcelona in the last two years has been Athletico Madrid and that is due primarily to the speed of Fernando Torres. AM's midfield isn't the fastest but Torres has pace to burn and has punished the Barca defence severely in both games in the Nou Camp over the last two seasons due to super passes and quick counter attack movement. Shevchenko is a more aware player than Torres but I believe Barca are punished by pace and as Shevchenko lacks that, I think Milan will suffer as a consequence.

Dont be at yourself

Their lack of pace is going to make them suffer at the other tend too, I'd wager.

PHB

Most teams are punished by pace, and Milan aren't known as the quickest team obviously. That said, they broke against Liverpool last year to score if I'm not mistaken.

What milan have, that Barca lack, is absolute experience.
Lyon dominated Milan. Milan won. Everybody dominates Milan. Milan win.
Why? Because when they want to turn it on, they are unreal.
Milan are not even second favorites imo, I think both teams are even, and it's going to be an incredible match.

Kingp35

Jivin Turkey wrote:

Could you not apply the same logic you used here to your analysis of Milan's chances above?

To be honest I think your synopsis on Villareal's chances is far more apt towards Milan!

Possibly but I dont think so. In fairness Milan are the favourites in most games that they play but I think they are slightly over-rated. We have seen them perform against Lyon and it wasnt good at all. If you said they were lucky to get through you wouldnt be far wrong. The problem with Milan for me is the aging defence. As we all know Barcelona like to pass the aball around swiftly which means the mIlan defence will be pulled all over the place. On a huge pitch like in the Nou Camp I think they will tire pretty quickly and I expect Barcelona to score at least 2 goals. The Milan defence has been very poor bt teams havent been punishing them. Barcelona will.

I dont think Milan will put it up to Barcelona as much as people think they will.

Pigman II

Villareal vs AC Milan (with Milan to win)

CorkMan

Milan are too old at the back, and I think Ronaldinho, Messi and Eto'o will be way too much for them. Milan never play against such 3 players in Serie A or Europe!

Plus if Barca have a full squad (Deco is suspended for first leg) they could have Motta, Edmilson and Van Bommel in midfield, that is a very tough nut to break down. Plus Deco will be back for the 2nd leg.