Manchester United – Barcelona: Champions League, Tuesday 2:45pmEST

By: Isaiah | April 28th, 2008

Update: Check out the liveblog on the main page

This. Is. It. There’s no tomorrow, no next match. We’re in it to win or we’re out on the street. The whole season, all the good and all the bad, have led up to this moment, this game, these 90 minutes. Everything bad can be forgiven with a glorious display or the last 4 games of misery can be compounded and turned into an absolute firestorm.

So where do we stand in this second leg away from home? It’s 0-0 on aggregate, so we’re definitely not behind, but neither are ahead. The advantage we have is a draw including goals means we advance on away goals. However, any loss whatsoever and we’re gone and a goalless draw (the least likely of the circumstances, I would think) leads to extra time.

Our squad for this match is: Valdés, Pinto, Zambrotta, Thuram, Puyol, Milito, Abidal, Sylvinho, Edmílson, Touré, Deco, Iniesta, Xavi, Gudjohnsen, Bojan, Eto’o, Henry, Messi.

I expect the same lineup that started in the Camp Nou to start this match, with one exception: Valdés, Zambrotta, Puyol, Milito, Abidal, Touré, Deco, Iniesta, Xavi, Eto’o, Messi.

The exception, of course, is the return of Carles “I eat Red Devils for breakfast” Puyol. You know they just made a movie about him? Here’s a screenshot. It will be good to see how Deco plays in front of this more solid and more comfortable back line (that is, solider and comfortabler for those of you into new and exciting adjectives). The reason I say this is because with Marquez, the ball was constantly flipped forward rather than directed through Xavi and Iniesta on the ground.

Deco allows a secondary on-the-ground passing level that just isn’t there for Barcelona without him. This not only helps on the break, but gives more options to players under pressure in the attacking third. While I can’t imagine it’s a popular option with the fans for the players to play the ball back, it’s an necessary option, especially if that option (Deco) is willing to crank long-range shots. He is capable of scoring from 25 yards and he’ll need to be willing to shoot from there in order to unlock the ManU defense.

You can check out what their squad is going to look like by going to see Nick’s preview at the ManU Offside here. He mentions that Rooney and Vidic are the doubts and we can only hope that without Vidic at the back, they’ll be a bit more likely to give up goals. Rooney didn’t look like he could handle Abidal, but it will take the best game of his season to keep them out of the back of the net from his side.

Toure will have to show up with all his assassin power (that means no injuries to him!) to keep Scholes and Giggs unsettled. We need 90 minutes of out him because we can’t expect 90 out of Deco and if we get a lead, we need to retain it at all costs. We don’t want to lose players for the final, but we also don’t want to not have a final to play our reserves in, if that’s what it comes down to. So stick the boot in, make Cronaldo whine, flop, flip, and dip. Seriously, just do what’s necessary. Speaking of, Sport has a small profile of his lady friend, Nereida Gallardo, including links to her latest NEKKID pics. Here is the NSFW link NSFW. She’s certainly attractive…NSFW Here’s NSFW where the rest of the gallery will be available next Monday.

I expect an open game because ManU is a different beast at home. If the same lineups that appeared in the Camp Nou are put out at OT, we won’t see even close to the same amount of possession as we did in the first leg. It’s just not possible that Fergalicious can or will allow that to happen. Even our anemic offense will score given 120 minutes over 2 games. At home they have the advantage, but I can’t help but believe in my team, in the fact that we have the ability to show up and fight out a win or a draw anywhere in the world. We are ~~Marshall~~Barcelona!

1-1 draw and we advance on away goals.

VISCA EL BARCA!

And just in case you needed to get your fill of mansteel, here is something for ladies: