Manchester United vs Barcelona - Ask Thabane Sutu

Ask Thabane Sutu

English champions Manchester United play Spanish kings Barcelona later today in the most highly anticipated Uefa Champions League final since the turn of the century. Likuena legend Thabane Sutu is always a good person to turn to on occasions like this… a question just needed to be asked and he answered it, short and sweet…

Lumela Ntate Sutu! What’s your take on the Uefa Champions League final? How do you see the game going? And which players do you think will have the most influence on the outcome of the game? Thanks.

I will go for Barcelona. I think they are a far better side than they were when they won in it 2009. However, the final is in England this time and that will make the contest somehow more interesting. Rooney, Carrick, Hernandez, Vidic, Park and maybe Giggs, if he starts, are the key players for United. For Barcelona it will be the usual suspects… Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets, Puyol, Dani Alves and so on. I think Valdez too will have a major role to play. He doesn’t have to do much because Barca dominate possession so much, so his concentration levels have got to be spot on – especially in such a high stakes contest.

With Barca you pick your own poison, if you low-press, they will break you down with combinations. If you press high, they can be absolutely devastating on the counter. Furthermore, Messi and Iniesta are completely healthy and more importantly, fresh. They both didn’t play in the last two games as Barca wrapped up the league nice and early.

All in all, I think Barcelona will win today, but it won’t be easy. Man United, especially in central defence, are too slow and Barca will keep the ball on the deck and probe until an opening presents itself. Vidic and Ferdinand are both wonderful in the air but that’s not how Barcelona plays.

Thabane