All the footprints you've ever left and fear expecting ahead (Barcelona - Champions League Final)

So this is the big one. The Champions League. Not only the chance to win it, but the chance to become the first team to defend the Champions League. Not only that, but back to back domestic and European doubles. Does it get better than this?
Sir Alex looks towards greatness:

"This is an opportunity for us to be put alongside a lot of the great teams of Europe," said Ferguson.

"If you look back, sides like Ajax, AC Milan and Bayern Munich regularly won it on consecutive seasons."

"There have been a lot of unlucky teams in world football but when you look at the pantheon of great teams you need to have won the European Cup to have that tag," said Ferguson.

"There is no question about that. It has always been that way. Teams like Manchester United and Barcelona have to win the trophy to be regarded in that respect.

"It is unusual that no one has done it (defended the trophy) since the Champions League started, but we are good at doing things first and this is our opportunity.

"Great teams used to do it but not now. We have an opportunity and hopefully it is something we can tick off."

And yet it says a lot that he goes on:

"This particular team has that type of future and the experience to do well over the next few years and hopefully on Wednesday we can endorse that."

This is just the beginning...

And, lest we get carried away, we face a team that are themselves looking to make history. Barcelona have the chance to be the first Spanish team to do the treble of domestic league, cup and European cup.

So we have two teams looking to make history, two clubs with great history, two teams who play great football, and, in Ronaldo and Messi, probably the best two players in the world facing each other. Could it be set up any better?

The consensus opinion on our team for the final is that it will match the team that started the 2nd leg of the Arsenal game, with the obvious exception of Fletcher:

Van der Sar, O'Shea, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Fletcher, Carrick, Anderson, Park, Ronaldo, Rooney.

The player put in the place of Fletcher is Giggs. How long Giggs could last matching Fletcher's work rate is certainly a question to be asked, meaning one sub would have to be used to replace him at some time during the second half. Could Giggs and Park swap positions with Giggs providing the industry down the wing (as he did in the 2nd leg against Porto) and Park breaking up the play in midfield, again how long would he last (having just refreshed my memory, Giggs managed 90 minutes in this role against Porto)? Another, more attacking option could be to play Berbatov instead of Fletcher, partnered by Ronaldo, with Rooney and Park on the wings and Anderson and Carrick in central midfield. This would of course provide more freedom for Barcelona's central midfielders. The other option would be to ask Ronaldo to provide the industry going back and forward on the wing that Park provides, moving Park inside. with Berbatov up front by himself. This would of course stifle Ronaldo where he is most dangerous, up front. So I think we'll probably start as we did against Arsenal. The great thing about our Champions League campaign this season is the way that Sir Alex has shuffled his pack for each different challenge (with things only going awry in the first leg against Porto), so I expect Sir Alex to choose a team that is more than capable of controlling the game. Whether it'll be a predictable team, we'll have to wait and see.

And now, after all the words, it's almost time to get it on...

But first, the prediction: Evra to have Messi in his pocket, Vidic and Ferdinand to eat up everything that comes near them, Ronaldo and Rooney to have the games of their lives, Man Utd to win 2-0.