Manchester United will face Barcelona Football Club in Rome on Wednesday for the UEFA Champions League crown. For Mancunians and Catalonians around the world, it will either be a day of glory or one to forget. For us neutrals however, it might be a day to remember, because it will be a chance to witness a monumental moment in soccer history: the coronation of Leo Messi.
Messi was snapped up by Barca in 2000 from his youth team as a 14-year-old. The Catalan club took a gamble signing the teenager, as he was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency, and was not expected to grow taller than five feet. However, Messi has since emerged as the biggest talent in soccer, and Barca is thanking its lucky stars for making such an astute play. Wednesday's match presents a fine opportunity for the 20-year-old to finally gain well deserved recognition as the world's best player.
Many claim that Messi has already done enough to earn that title. This year, he has been in divine form, netting 37 goals in all competitions. Argentina's greatest soccer god, Diego Maradona, has tagged Messi as the player who will inherit his place. There are clear similarities in the two players' styles, and in 2007 Messi scored a goal against Getafe CF comparable to Maradona's famous "Goal of the Century" in the 1986 World Cup. The diminutive Messi received the ball in his own half and beat six defenders before coolly dispatching the score.
To me, though, the crown still remains in the hands of Manchester's Cristiano Ronaldo. The smug Portuguese winger was honored as FIFA's World Player of the Year, a just reward for the absurd 42-goal total he put up while leading Manchester to Premier League and Champions League titles. This year, Ronaldo has not quite hit last year's stride, but he has still put in an excellent 25 goals in all competitions and helped United capture another Premier League title.
Messi can dethrone Ronaldo with an excellent showing tomorrow, and more importantly, by leading Barca to a win. However, this is obviously easier said than done. United will go into the match as a massive favorite, and deservedly so. The team is in much better form than Barcelona, unbeaten in its last nine matches, while Barca has lost two on the bounce. Furthermore, United has the advantage of playing in the far superior Premier League.
Despite the inevitable protest of Spanish soccer fans, there is no doubt that the English Premier League is the best league in the world better than La Liga.
Examine the recent clashes between English and Spanish sides: Liverpool, the Premier League runner-up, demolished La Liga runner-up Real Madrid 4-0 in March, and Arsenal easily brushed aside Villarreal 3-0 in April. Additionally, in last year's Champions League semifinal, United effortlessly handled Barca. Althougth the final score was only 1-0, the Catalans barely had a shot on goal. There is no doubt that the dominance of English sides in recent history will have a psychological impact on Barcelona.
Finally, Barcelona has huge holes in its lineup because of injuries and suspensions. Influential midfielder Andres Iniesta, who single-handedly willed the team past Chelsea, is in doubt after picking up an injury earlier this month. Defenders Rafa Marquez, Eric Abidal and Dani Alves are all suspended, leaving an already-questionable back four with even more problems.
So with all of this, the load is even heavier than usual for Messi. There is no doubt that he has the upper hand in his matchup with United defender Patrice Evra. If he can use his pace to get around Evra, Messi will get plenty of joy down the left. However, if he plays like he did against Chelsea in the last round, where he was scarcely a shadow of his usual self, then Barcelona will fall flat.
Interestingly enough, the key factor in this matchup of the world's two best players might end up being a forgotten star: Thierry Henry, formerly of Arsenal's "Invincibles," will be more than United right back John O'Shea can handle. If Henry can play as well as he did throughout the season, during which he has scored 26 goals in 41 games, and not be hindered by the injury that saw him miss the semifinal, there will be less attention on Messi, allowing him to play his best. In addition, Henry's Premier League experience will be useful in reading United's tactics.
There is no doubt that Ronaldo will be influential. His supporting cast is better. If Messi can play his best, however, and score and create goals, tomorrow will be a day for Ronaldo and Manchester United to forget. But for everyone else, it will mark the start of a new era in football that of Lionel Messi.
