Champions League final preview - Barcelona v Manchester United

Barcelona and Manchester United each won their first European Cups at the old Wembley and both are seeking a fourth title at the new Wembley.



The Spanish and English champions could make a strong claim to being the two strongest sides of the current era, with both having made it through to three finals in the past five years.



The sides last met in the 2009 final in Rome, where Barcelona took the lead against the run of play and never looked back in what was ultimately a surprisingly comfortable 2-0 victory.



United's players have been watching DVDs of that game as they prepare to face Barca again, with defender Patrice Evra admitting his side were too complacent on the night.



"I am honest. I was confident in Italy. Maybe too confident," said United's French full-back.



"It hurt so much when we lost. We did the team pictures the following season. We had three trophies. But we were missing the one with the big ears.



"Everyone says Barcelona are the best team in the world now. I respect that.



"But, two years ago, everyone said we were going to beat Barcelona easily in Rome. Maybe the opposite will happen this time.



"Barcelona are very good at keeping the ball but football is not about keeping the ball, it is about scoring goals."



FIFA Ballon d'Or 2010 holder, Lionel Messi who scored Barcelona's second goal in the 2009 final, is unsure how different his side are now - if at all.



"It's always difficult to compare but what is true is that both teams [Barcelona in 2009 and Barcelona in 2011] showed some great football - and both always tried to play attractive football that people loved to watch," said the Argentinian.



Argentine forward Messi, 23, is the current Fifa world footballer of the year

"We always try to stick to our game and tried to develop our game every time we played - and we've always achieved big things. In 2009 we won the Champions League in a very impressive style and [after that] winning La Liga again and again.



"So I would like to think that some of us are just a bit more experienced this time round.



"We arrived to the final in top form and only a step away from making history once more."



Not the best team ever

Barcelona will start the match as favourites, though coach Pep Guardiola has been been keen to deflect attention away from a side that some observers believe is the best team of all time.



“I don't think so [that Barcelona are the best ever side]," he said. "When the people are watching this team if they enjoy we are happy, but we have to respect Brazil, Milan, Liverpool, Manchester or even Madrid for the best moments.



“It is difficult to compare, it is for example to say who is better - Pele, Maradona, Messi or Beckenbauer, all these kind of players in the right moment help to make football better than before.



“What would we like, in the coming 10-15 years people remember that in that time Barcelona played good football and we enjoyed that time when we saw that would be the best thing, but to say right now is impossible.”



Guardiola is boosted by the return to action of left-back, Eric Abidal, who has spent two months out following surgery on a liver tumour.



The French left-back is now in contention to play at Wembley alongside fellow defenders Dani Alves, Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique, although versatile Argentine Javier Mascherano is another alternative if Guardiola decides he does not want to risk Abidal and Puyol - who has also has had injury problems recently.



Sergio Busquets will play the holding role in midfield that allows Xavi and Iniesta freedom to express themselves, while Messi will be supported in attack by David Villa and Pedro.



Experience vital

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is chasing a hat-trick of Champions League wins and should he claim the European Cup for a third time on Saturday he will equal Bob Paisley's record with Liverpool.



The Scotsman thinks that experience is now a major factor in his side's favour.



"We've gathered an experience over the last few years that has acquitted us well for European football now," he said.



"We're far more patient away from home and we never used to be. European football does that and I think the players have learned that the concentration levels have to be very, very good because every club has a different way of playing and a different sense and style of the tempo in matches.



"Sometimes in a European game, you can be doing actually quite well and then the roof falls in, suddenly. "Many of our players are used to that now. They don't get caught out by sudden attacks against them the way that they used to years ago."



Ferguson has a fully fit squad to choose from. The Wembley final will be the final appearance in the illustrious career of goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar, who retires after the match.



The veteran Dutchman will be shielded by a back four comprising Patrice Evra, Rio Ferdinand, captain Nemanja Vidic and one of the Brazilian twins, perhaps Fabio.



Ferguson has decision to make in midfield, although in recent matches, he hs favoured the quartet of Antonio Valencia, Michael Carrick, Ryan Giggs and Park Ji-sung. Further forward, Wayne Rooney will link midfield and attack, while up front the live-wire Javier Hernandez is set to cap a terrific debut season as United's sole striker.



Barcelona and United are both seeking a fourth European Cup, which would take them level with Ajax and Bayern Munich and behind only Liverpool (five wins), Milan (seven) and Real Madrid (nine).



Statistics

• This is the clubs' 11th meeting and the record so far is three wins each and four draws. The teams have contested two major finals, Barcelona prevailing in their last meeting in Rome in 2009 while United won their 1991 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup decider in Rotterdam.



• Barcelona and United are both seeking a fourth European Cup, which would take them level with AFC Ajax and FC Bayern München and behind only Liverpool FC (five wins), AC Milan (seven) and Real Madrid (nine).



• Barcelona's final record is W3 L3:

1960/61 Benfica 2-3 (L)

1985/86 Steaua Bucharest 0-0 (0-2 pens) (L)

1991/92 Sampdoria 1-0 (aet)W)

1993/94 Milan 0-4 (L)

2005/06 Arsenal 2-1 (W)

2008/09 Manchester United 2-0 (W)



• United's final record is W3 L1:

1967/68 Benfica 4-1 (aet) (W)

1998/99 Bayern Munich 2-1 (W)

2007/08 Chelsea 1-1 (6-5 pens) (W)

2008/09 Barcelona 0-2 (L)




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Champions League preview - Real Madrid v Tottenham

Quarter-final first lef, kick-off: 19:45 (BST)

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho believes a goalless home draw against Tottenham Hotspur would represent a "good result" in Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg tie.



Mourinho's nine-year unbeaten home league record as a coach came to an end as his Real Madrid side lost 1-0 to Sporting Gijon on Saturday, but the Portuguese was keen to focus on tonight's game with Spurs.



"It's time to think about the Champions League," he said. "This is a match many teams would like to play in and not all can. It's a few years since Madrid reached this round and a few years since the Bernabéu saw this stage. Whoever is playing in the quarter-finals has only got to think about that.



"A draw at home is always a good result in the Champions League, especially if it's 0-0. Harry Redknapp is my friend and I'm very happy because when I was in England he didn't have the chances he has now. If I don't reach the final I want him to do it. He would be ready to face the challenge of being coach of the England team.



"Rafa [van der Vaart] made a good decision choosing Tottenham. I always want to see players happy and I think he is happy now. He could be a good player for us, too. He made his decision and we made ours when we chose [Mesut] Ozil."



Nine-times winners Real have Cristiano Ronaldo back from injury, but Mourinho is without several key players. Definitely missing are the in-form Karim Benzema and Fernando Gago, while Angel di Maria and Kaká remain doubts.



Mourinho's Spurs counterpart Harry Redknapp, meanwhile, looks set to have Gareth Bale available as he plans to stick to his attacking principles at Santiago Bernabéu.



"Bale gives us everything," said the Spurs boss. "He can carry the ball and attack very quickly. He is fine and if he is OK he will play. He could be very important for us. It's a difficult game – Real Madrid are favourites, but we come here very optimistic. Real Madrid have fantastic players and we have to deal with that.



"We will try to give them problems and try to avoid the problems they give to us. It's not important if they have lost their record at home. Real Madrid are one of the great clubs in football. We must start the game well like we did in Milan.



"We don't have defensive players, they're not here, so we have what we have. They are attacking players. We approach the game in the same way. It's been tough from the start − we have had no easy games. The only pressure we have is to play well. We will try to make the dream come true – we still have a chance."



William Gallas will undergo a late fitness test, but Redknapp will be without defensive quartet Alan Hutton, Ledley King, Jonathan Woodgate and Younes Kaboul. Midfielder Steven Pienaar is absent with a groin injury, while Nico Krancjar remains a doubt.




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Champions League preview - Chelsea v FC Copenhagen

See the best odds on EVERY Europa League game this week in our dedicated betting centre….



Last 16, second leg, kick-off: 19:45 (BST)

Chelsea (2) v FC Copenhagen (0)



Chelsea go into the second leg of their tie against FC Copenhagen in god form and "ready to fight" for honours, according to coach Carlo Ancelotti.



The Italian felt the 2-0 first-leg win in Denmark has kick-started a stuttering campaign, and the two victories which have followed, along with the impending return of long-term injury absentees Alex and Yossi Benayoun, have convinced him that success is on its way.



"The first leg in Copenhagen was an important game for us," said Ancelotti. "It was a turning point in our season and it gave us the confidence to go on and beat Manchester United; it was a big moment for us. We are ready to fight for the rest of the season now. This is a fantastic moment for us to have all the players fit and we want to maintain motivation for everyone.



"Every game is important to maintain our confidence. We've had victories against Copenhagen, Manchester United and Blackpool and our confidence is better and we want to maintain this and, if possible, improve. We want to continue this and make sure we progress to the Champions League quarter-finals. In the first game we played really well and we needed a high tempo to play against them. We have to stay focused because they will come here and want to do everything to win.



"I think Barcelona are the best team in Europe at the moment. But in the Champions League you can use your strength, your power and your ability. Every team has different skills and ability, and every game is a different story. We don't have to forget that for us it will be very important to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League."



Copenhagen coach Stale Solbakken admitted that the defeat at home has left his side looking at a miracle if they are to progress to the quarter-finals.



"We need a miracle or two," he said. "Obviously we are in a very, very difficult situation. We have not been at our best after the winter break and haven't managed to reach the level we had before Christmas. It's a little bit down to injuries, and a little bit down to some other things; most of all I think the first goal by [Nicolas] Anelka at Parken, because that knocked us back a bit mentally.



"We didn't manage to break Chelsea down at all in the first game and now I think it's down to who scores the first goal. If we score it, it will change the psychology of the game. We have been in this situation once before, we beat Ajax 2-0 in Amsterdam so we are going for it.



"We will play our normal game. For us it's the same if the goal comes when there's ten minutes left and we have ten minutes to score the second. We will try to be as compact and solid defensively as possible, but also be much better in some areas of the game. I want us to fight to the end, and if we go out of the tournament then we want to go out fighting.



Solbakken will give Mikael Antonsson "all the chances in the world to be ready" as the defender looks to overcome an injury that prevented him from playing at the weekend. His availability will affect who replaces the suspended Zdenek Pospech at right-back, with Oscar Wendt and William Kvist in the frame.



See the best odds on EVERY Europa League game this week in our dedicated betting centre….



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Champions League preview - Real Madrid v Lyon

Man United are now a best price 9/1 for the Champions League after qualifying for the quarter-finals on Tuesday night…



Last 16, second leg, kick-off: 19:45 (BST)

Chelsea (2) v FC Copenhagen (0)



Boosted by the return of Cristiano Ronaldo, Jose Mourinho has called on the support of the Real Madrid fans as the Spanish side look to end their run of six straight round of 16 defeats.



With the tie finely poised at 1-1, Mourinho admits that his side's advantage is slight.



"We all have a positive and negative past, but our history in the competition doesn't [come into] play," said the Portuguese coach. "It's an open match. Real Madrid have a little advantage but it's not enough.



"One team will be alive in the competition tomorrow at midnight. Everybody wants to play in this match and nobody is scared. There is no special pressure.



"Lisandro is a great player, I know that well from Portuguese football. Lyon are more than Lisandro. They are a well-organised team with a very good coach. They have been very competitive without Lisandro.



Mourinho enthused about the recent performances of Karim Benzema, who has started to score regularly after a disappointing first half to the season.



"Karim Benzema is the main person responsible for his good form," he added. "His team-mates and [Zinédine] Zidane have helped him a lot. Our fans should play tomorrow because we always play against 12 players in our away matches, I haven't seen the Santiago Bernabéu really playing with its team yet."



Ronaldo came through a full training session on Tuesday afternoon and is set to return from his thigh injury. Pedro León, Fernando Gago, Gonzalo Higuain and Kaka are all definitely out, though.



Lyon coach Claude Puel, who has Lisandro available after injury, is confident his side can prevail over Madrid at this stage for a second successive season.



"Last year we came here needing to score and now we are in the same situation," he said. "We have to fight in defence but we also must play offensively. We have a great, tactical match ahead of us.



"Real Madrid have many individual threats but we can compete with them as a team; I don't care about stats. This is a match between two confident teams who are winning their matches.



"Real Madrid are not only Ronaldo, there are others. It would be great if we could beat them with all these players. Benzema is showing that he can be a great player. He is improving and scoring for Real Madrid and France. We know we can be tough opponents. Real Madrid are the favourites because they scored in Lyon and now they play at home, [but] we must be focused on our game."



Aly Cissokho, Yoann Gourcuff and Cris sat out the weekend league game, although Cissokho did train at the Santiago Bernabéu on Tuesday. Michel Bastos is suspended for the French side.



Man United are now a best price 9/1 for the Champions League after qualifying for the quarter-finals on Tuesday night…




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Champions League preview - Manchester United v Marseille

Gavin Beech thinks Man United will comfortably qualify against Marseille tonight – see his best betting tips here…



Last 16, second leg, kick-off: 19:45 (BST)

Manchester United (0) v Marseille (0)



Sir Alex Ferguson is expecting a tense night at Old Trafford as his Manchester United team seek to defeat Marseille and reach the Champions League quarter-finals for the fifth successive season.



The sides shared a goalless draw three weeks ago in France and the United boss is only too aware of the dangers of conceding an away goal on the counter-attack.



"European games are always nervy, but it's nice to have that bit of apprehension ahead of big ties like this," he said. "We're up against a very experienced, powerful Marseille team who'll want to play well. We've had them watched twice away from home against Monaco and Rennes and they showed the qualities we expect to see again tomorrow.



"Marseille will try and hit us on the break, but there are lots of ways of counterattacking in the modern game. It's my first time up against Didier so I've not got enough knowledge of him to say how he'll approach the game.



The United manager has received a bonus with the quicker-than-expected return to fitness of Nani.



"There's a good chance Nani will be involved tomorrow, as he trained on Sunday also," added Ferguson. "Michael Carrick did too, which is also positive news for us. Both should be involved tomorrow night. It was a fantastic bonus to get 45 minutes from [Antonio] Valencia [in the 2-0 FA Cup win against Arsenal], since he's been out for so long. The question is whether to start him or do what we did on Saturday and use him from the bench, but it's a nice selection dilemma for me."



Nemanja Vidic missed training due to a knock sustained at the weekend but is expected to be fit. Rio Ferdinand, Park Ji-Sung, Michael Owen and Anderson are all sidelined.



Marseille coach Didier Deschamps acknowledged that the omens weren't great for his side.



"If you look at the stats then it looks a difficult task," he said. "Manchester United have not been beaten at home for [24] games and have only conceded one goal in seven Champions League matches this season.



"Though it's three or four years since Manchester United last won this trophy, thanks to their status they're always among four or five teams that are favourites to win at the start of every season. On paper you'd expect them to qualify but we've got every chance as well – football's not played on paper.



Deschamps was quick to identify the threat posed by the fit-again Nani.



"Nani did well in the first leg, he created one or two problems for us," said the Marseille coach. "What I like about him is that he speeds the game up and every attack involving Nani is fast, but equally the likes of Rooney, Chicharito and Giggs can all create problems for us tomorrow. We're only likely to get around three or four chances during the whole game so we'll have to be very precise in our finishing.



"Having watched the game against Arsenal first hand, I'm not sure what tactics Sir Alex will play, but we'll do our best to attack them while keeping things tight at the back and trying not to give anything away."



Mathieu Valbuenashould be available, along with André-Pierre Gignac, who was taken off towards the end of Friday's league match but has been included in the travelling party.



Gavin Beech thinks Man United will comfortably qualify against Marseille tonight – see his best betting tips here…



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Champions League preview - Bayern Munich v Inter

Joe Kiddle is tipping goals when Bayern Munich host Inter Milan in the Champions League tonight…



Last 16, second leg, kick-off: 19:45 (BST)

Bayern Munich (1) v Inter (0)



Bayern Munich coach Louis van Gaal said his team would go into their round of 16 decider against holders Internazionale with renewed confidence after their 6-0 win over Hamburg at the weekend.



However, the Dutchman warned his players not to lose concentration despite a 1-0 advantage from the first-leg.



"A professional football player must focus always on the next game, which is not that easy, because everything affects players' concentration," said Van Gaal."We had a very good game against Hamburg [winning 6-0 on Saturday] and it was a very important victory, so we have renewed confidence in ourselves, but Inter are very strong opponents; we have to be very careful.



"At San Siro, Inter played the same way as they did in last year's final. From my point of view, we were the better side in both games; one we won, one we lost. Football is always about who scores the goals. My players have to be very focused, especially during opening minutes, so they can size up Inter's tactics and respond.



After enduring an erratic domestic campaign, Bayern and Van Gaal reached an agreement last week that this would the coach's final season in charge.



"Bayern are a great club, perhaps the best organised club in the world," he added. "Any coach would love to work here, and since my relationship with my players has been very good, I am a little sad that I will be leaving in the summer.



"Even if we win the Champions League, nothing will change; we will go our separate ways because [my and the board's] philosophies are very different. But we cannot think about the past now. We must focus on the future and not forget that Bayern, the club and its fans, are the most important thing."



Inter coach Leonardo promised that the holders would be motivated for tonight's game and stressed that anything was possible for a team desperate to hold on to the Champions League trophy.



"Of course, Bayern just need a 0-0 but I do not think the game will end that way," said the Brazilian. "At San Siro any other result than the 0-1 was very possible and similarly tomorrow anything is possible. It would not be a wonder if Bayern won and also it would not be something special if we did.



Leonardo identified two players - one from each side - who he thought could have a bearing on tonight's outcome.



"Samuel Eto'o is a very special player," he said of his Inter striker. "He has won the Champions League twice already and he has been playing very consistently for years now. He is definitely one of the best players in the world.



"(Bayern striker) Mario Gomez is in great shape. He is still young, but has already reached an extraordinary high level and has time to become even better.



"I do not think either team has an advantage tomorrow and we have already got a clear strategy. I won't and I can't promise anything, but we will play with a lot of confidence, passion and desire. We know we have to be in our best shape tomorrow but I can see a lot of motivation. For my players it is a privilege to play games like this. These are games which have the feel of a final."



Lucio should be available but Esteban Cambiasso has not played since the first leg, while Diego Milito has been out since February and Walter Samuel may not play again this season.



Joe Kiddle is tipping goals when Bayern Munich host Inter Milan in the Champions League tonight…




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