With Barcelona now regularly lauded as one of the greatest
ever club teams and Ferguson insisting that his players are better prepared
than when the teams met two years ago, the United manager said Friday that the
ingredients are in place for a classic.
Barcelona has already clinched a third straight Spanish title
and such is the fashion in which Lionel Messi and his teammates routinely
frustrate and dismantle opponents that bookmakers rate United as a big underdog
despite having reached a third final in four seasons.
But Ferguson expects a far better performance from his side
than when it was rattled by Barcelona's early goal in the 2009 final and went
down 2-0.
“The success both teams have had in the past decade has been
enormous,” Ferguson said. “It really could be the best final of the decade. The
attraction of two teams with such history is obvious. Anything could happen in
this game.” With a penalty shootout to follow if neither team wins through
regular or extra time, one side will depart Wembley level with Bayern Munich
and Ajax on four titles. Only Real Madrid, AC Milan and Liverpool have won more.
Barcelona won its first title at Wembley in 1992 before picking
up two more titles in the past five years. United also won its first at the
north London stadium in 1968, long before the ground was demolished and rebuilt
to its current 90,000-seat configuration.
“It's at Wembley and that gives you an awareness that this
is a big game,” said Ferguson, the most decorated manager in English football. “And
I like big games.” A win for Barcelona is so widely anticipated that British
bookmakers rate a side that has just won a record 19th English title the
biggest Champions League final outsider for more than a decade.
But odds of 3-1 against United winning are more a reflection
of the amount of money wagered on 21-20 shot Barcelona than any shortcomings in
a side that advanced to the final without conceding an away goal and is drawing
close to two decades of dominance in England.
“I don't think that matters to us,” Ferguson said.
“Anyone coming to a game of this nature doesn't care what
the experts say or the bookmakers say.
“We will be going out there with a genuine chance.” Ferguson
acknowledged that he had consulted Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho for ideas on
how to approach the match, with his friend one of the select few to have
engineered a victory — albeit one that was followed by a humbling defeat in the
Champions League semifinals — over Barcelona this season.
“I've had a small conversation with him and he's wished us
all the best,” Ferguson said. “He knows we're prepared.” Ferguson's players are
looking forward to the chance of getting some payback after the disappointment
of 2009.
“It doesn't bother us who is favorite and who is not,”
United midfielder Michael Carrick said. “It is about performing in a one-off
game. We respect them for what they are, the way they play the game and the
strengths they have. We are well aware of how they play but at the same time it
is about us as well.
“We have gained a lot of experience over recent years and
hopefully it will all come together on Saturday night.” Carrick is likely to
start Saturday, with the veteran Ryan Giggs or more defensive Darren Fletcher
alongside him. It will be their job to keep the ball from the likes of Messi
and Spanish world champions Andres Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez and Sergio Busquets.
Barcelona's passing football has secured close to two-thirds
possession in this seasons Champions League matches against supposedly Europe's
best sides.
But if United can score first, things could be very
different to 2009.
“They haven't only got talent; they work well in defense,
they are compact, they have many variants in attack,” Xavi said. “If they score
a goal, they close up at the back and play on the counter, they have a lot of
tactical options.” England striker Wayne Rooney is likely to sit deep behind
Mexico international Javier Hernandez for United, with David Villa dovetailing
with Messi for Barcelona.