The first 10 minutes were dominated by United with Chicharito looking especially dangerous…

The next 10 minutes United had no possession and just played long ball. They were lucky not to concede several…

The game then settled down with Manchester having some possession, but still not looking as dangerous as Barcelona who scored on a numbers mismatch with Evra(?) having to choose, wrongly, between two attackers and Pedro making a brilliant strike.

United finally looked confident and strung together a nice run of wall passes resulting in a Rooney goal. Was Giggs offside?

Halftime 1-1.

Second half started slowly for United.

The second goal by Messi was brilliant, but was aided by poor defending – meaning United gave way too much space and didn’t close down the shot. Vidic, who had been brilliant up until now, retreated two or three steps, instead of stepping up to challenge. Evra was too late to react, and Messi guided a great strike into the back of the net.

Lots of defending…

Finally a substitution to bring in Nani – who I thought the game needed from the beginning – who promptly made a defensive miscue and gifted the ball to Barca resulting in a David Villa goal.

Aside from the Nani defensive lapse, I thought he brought a new intensity and urged United forward.

With the introduction of Scholes, the Red Devils had more possession and looked more dangerous. Whether this was because of the commanding league held by Barcelona, or the better football being played, or both, I am not sure.

Two or three reasonable chances, but nothing to show for it.

(article updates coming soon)

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Van der Sar
Rafael, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra
Valencia, Carrick, Scholes, Nani
Rooney
Hernandez

Basically a 4-4-2, but with Rooney playing link man to Chicharito up top. Who are your starting 11 for the Final?

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I look at this United side, and I don’t think of it as being as strong a side as their impressive record shows. Missing Wayne Rooney for nearly a month, and Antonio Valencia suffering such a terrible injury. I surly thought United would be in or around 3rd place. But there’s something about this United side that is certainly special, lets hope they can keep this up!

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Sir Alex gave 20 year-old Ben Amos his Champions League debut and started the Da Silva twins along with Ferdinand and Vidic. Carrick, Anderson, Park and Nani covered the midfield, while Rooney and Berbatov started up top.

United had a chance of handing Sir Alex yet another record, by becoming the only team to go through the group stage without conceding a goal.

After some good chances from both sides, it was a Valencia who would take advantage of a horrible mistake by Michael Carrick. The midfielder tried to play it back to his defender but it was read and intercepted by Dominguez before picking out Pablo, who was unmarked. Pablo made no mistake and finished in the first half hour of the match.

A great chance for United and a spark of brilliance from Wayne Rooney as he cuts in and curls one up and over Guaita but cant beat the crossbar, the ball land for Nani but the Portuguese play-maker hits it wide.

United would trail 1-0 at the half.

United would have to wait 15 minutes into the second half for the equalizer, as Park took a powerful shot from outside the 18 and Anderson ran in for the rebound. You done usually see the young Brazilian on the score sheet, but he was at the right place, at the right time and didnt disappoint.

Now all United had to do was hold on to secure top spot, and they did. United will now face

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With leading Kuszczak the back, keep in mind that this was a decision made long before Van der Sar’s mind-boggling error over the weekend and not as a result of the unintentional mistake. Rafael, who I like more and more every time I see play. Smalling, Vidic, and the world best left back, Evra across the back.

Fletcher, Carrick, and Anderson across the middle, as Scholes and Giggs are still out injured. Park and Nani on the wings, while Macheda played as a center striker.

This is one of those games Sir Alex could use to give his youngsters a bit of European experience.

United had a wonderful start, as usual, it will be interesting to see if they could hold the lead this time! Nani hit a wonder strike from way out, finding the far-post with his left foot. 7 minutes in United is up 1-0.

United continued to dominate, particularly Nani, who was everywhere. He is carrying the team at the moment and pulled all the strings in midfield, frustrating the Bursaspor’s defense into fouling him.

Macheda was useless in the first-half, he didn’t hold a single ball he received, and he lost it every time. There was also minimal effort from the young Italian

Halftime: United find themselves in a very familiar scenario, they are up 1-0 at half. Could they hold the lead.

It was a slow start to the second half, United could not get anything going. Sir Alex needed to make a move and like an unwritten rule the sub comes in the 70^th minute. Park would come off for Obertan, a smart sub from Sir Alex. You’re not going to get a big difference between the two, and Obertan gets some Champions League experience.

Chicharito would come on for Anderson in the 78^th minute and make an instant impact. Obertan was getting involved and United looked alive in the last 15 minutes, creating chances by putting some great passes together.

Chicharito would have a great opportunity in the 90th minute that he missed just wide. I liked the combination of Macheda, Chicharito, Obertan and Nani. They seemed to flow well, and understood each other.

After 90 minutes the ref blew the whistle and United win 1-0. Finally! United keep a lead and win the match!

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No Scholes, no Giggs, no Neville and No Rooney. It was a newer generation to take on Valencia, and maybe that’s what it took to beat those statistics, United had only won once in 18 matches against Spanish opposition, on Spainsh soil.

United would play with Berbatov as the lone striker, with Nani and Park on the wings. while Anderson joined Carrick and Fletcher in the middle. United had, what I feel, is the strongest back line with Van der Sar in goal, Ferdinand and Vidic in the middle, they just compliment each other so well. With Evra and Rafael at left and right back, Evra is arguably the best left back in the world, and Rafael will be one of the best right backs, both provide another option going forward.

While Macheda, Hernandez, Owen, Smalling, O’Shea, Gibson, and Kuszczak waited patiently.

Both teams went into the match with plenty of respect for each other. Much of the first 10 minutes were played in the middle of the field.

It wasn’t until the 15th minute that Valencia got look at goal because Carrick made a mess of what seemed to be a faily routine play, he seemed to have mistaken Pablo for for a United player, generously handing over the ball 25 yards in front of goal. Luckily Pablo puts a little too much on it and it sails over the bar.

Soldado would have a golden opportunity a minute later. Who knows what Van der Sar was thinking when he came out to try and get that ball. He was caught out in no-mans-land and lucky for him Soldado just wasnt expecting it as he hits it up and over the bar.

After those two chances there wasn’t much action in the first half. Both teams were lacking that number 10 “maestro” in the center of midfield. Anderson is Brazilian, but he lacks that Brazilian magic of say Ronaldinho.

The first half would end 0-0 with Valencia having more chances on goal.

By far the most influential player was Pablo, he was taking players on and putting in some great service, but no one could get on the end of it.

Pablo had another great effort in the 49th minute, coming in from the right and cutting to the left past Evra and pulled off a great left shot that just went wide.

Finally United would look a little dangerous in the 56th minute when Fletcher found Berbatov with a 40 yard pass which he controlled brilliantly and then took his defender and went in on goal, earning a corner for United.

But still Valencia looked more dangerous, United couldnt get anything in the final third.

That was until Sir Alex went to the bench and brought on, Javier Hernandez. Many thought it would be Owen off the bench first, but it’s the young Mexican who comes on for Anderson to partner up with Berbatov.

With in 5 minutes of coming on Hernandez would have a look at goal, Nani put in a brilliant ball and Hernandez just got a foot on it, but it wasnt enough as he hits the post.

And again Owen was snubbed as Macheda would come on for Berbatov. But Sir Alex’s decision would pay off in a big way. After only a minute of being on the pitch together, Macheda and Hernandez would team up for the GAME WINNING GOAL! Nani took the ball down the line, just like hes supposed to, he pulled two players toward him which allowed Macheda to open up in the middle, then Macheda would pick out Hernandez at the top of the 18, and with a absolutely brilliant first touch, Hernandez would put in a superb left footed goal.

That would be it! Manchester United would win against Spanish opposition.

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First, we wont see Scholes, Giggs, or Rooney

Keepers: Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Amos. Defenders: Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, O’Shea, Evans, Smalling, Rafael, Brown. Midfielders: Anderson, Bebe, Nani, Carrick, Gibson, Fletcher, Park. Forwards: Hernandez, Berbatov, Owen, Macheda.

I think United should start with Van der Sar at keeper. Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, and Rafael across the back. Fletcher and Gibson in the middle, with Nani and Park on the wings. And Berbatov and Hernandez up top.

Valencia is currently on top of the La Liga table, ahead of both Barcelona and Real Madrid, even without thier superstar Davids, David Villa and David Silva. This will be a good test for United, it will give us an idea of whether United will be Champions League contenders or not.

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With all eyes on Rooney, It was 22 year old Darron Gibson who would give United a dream start after receiving a square ball and firing from 23 yards out. The strike would surprise even the keeper as it snuck in on his near post and after only 3 minutes United were up 1-0.

And if you notice Nani’s ability to play off the ball with Rooney, it was almost as impressive as his wonder goal only 4 minutes later. It certainly helped that the Bayern defense was rooted with absolutely no communication over who was picking up Nani. Also, credit Valencia for putting in a great ball from the right after toying with Badstuber

Rooney would have a scare as he tweaked his ankle when he collided with van Buyten. But after several minutes of playing through it he looked to have walked it off.

34 minutes in, Rafael would be played a great through ball, and nowhere else was his inexperience more evident then on this particular run. Had that been Dani Alves, Maicon, or Sergio Ramos this play would have resulted in a goal. Rafael was in, and when he should just be thinking “get to goal” he pauses takes a moment to look over his right shoulder, almost as if he was checking with Sir Alex about what to do and then proceeds to take it down and hit a shot wide, when he should’ve played it square to Rooney.

United would make it 3-0 because of Bayerns laziness on defense. Bayern lacked the discipline to get back on defense after losing the ball in the first half. Rafael would take a quick throw to Valencia and after a bit of individual skill from Valencia and a good ball back to Nani, he would hit his second of the night.

United seemed to be in cruise control and that not always a good thing, much like the 1st leg of the Barca vs Arsenal game. United took their foot off the gas and it didn’t take long for Bayern to capitalize on some lax defending from United. Although Carrick did look to be beat too easily, it was also Vidic and Ferdinand who failed to get back behind the keeper.

3-1 at half, Bayern were one goal from the semi-finals.

United made no changes at halftime.

And after only 5 minutes, a mistake that would cost United a spot in the semi-finals. Rafael was sent off for his second yellow card offense. Which prompted a substitute, and the player sacrificed would be Rooney. O’Shea would come on at right back.

Sir Alex switched to a 4-4-1 with Nani as a lone striker and Gibson at left wing. At this point he should have kept Nani on the left and subbed in Berbatov or Macheda.

Nani had a couple of chances to complete his hat-trick, once setting himself up for a volley and another after a brilliant through ball from Evra but was not successful.

United would have two other chances to make it four and put this one away, one in the 65th minute by Carrick,  and another by Gibson both of which hit it miles over the cross bar.

And in the 74th minute Robben would have one of the best goals of this years Champions League campaign. A goal that could have been prevented if only Van der Sar had put someone on the FRONT POST! You gamble when you don’t put someone on both front and back post. 9 times out of 10 you won’t use them, but that one time could be a goal of this magnitude!

Bayern would do a good job of trying to keep possession, and if Berbatov is the striker coming off the bench to try and rescue your team, you might as well hang it up. He doesn’t have the pace or presence to carry a team.

Maybe the wonder start was at fault because United got too comfortable, or Rafael’s rookie mistake that cost United a spot in the semi-final.

Either way, football is the only sport where you could win and lose, all in the same match.

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United would get a dream start. Rooney would shake off Zorro (Demichelis) from a Nani set piece to put United up 1-0 after only two minutes. Rooney scored his 34th goal this season and 5th in the Champions League.

United would continue to press, and in the 17th minute Nani looked like he was going to make it 2-0 after receiving a pass back from Fletcher, he split two Bayern defenders and was infront of goal just to the right of the PK spot but the strike would go wide as he hooked it a little too much with his left foot.

Van der Sar was in great form, helping hold the 1-0 lead for much of the game. Bayern kept knocking with the help of Ribery, who was the player of the game in my opinion. Ribery had a decent effort from distance in the 20th minute and again in the 28th minute with a cross.

Rooney would let a chance go 5 minutes before the half, after a brilliant cross from Fletcher. He received the ball in the box with plenty of time and decided to take all the time, and was denied by Butt.

United would go into the half with a 1-0 advantage

It was all Bayern in the second half. Van der Sar denied at least 6 great chances to equalize. First, Ribery played a great through ball for Olic, but Van der Sar pushed it wide. Muller would hit a ball that deflected off of Vidic and forced Van der Sar to make another great save.

Just before the hour mark, Altintop would weave his way through traffic and hit one from point blank directly at Van der Sar, who came up with yet another brilliant save.

Then in the 76th minute, Uniteds most experienced player would commit a rookie mistake by blatantly handling the ball just outside the eighteen. Allowing the French winger a chance which he would not waste. With the help of Rooney and a little luck, Ribery was able to put it past Van der Sar.

In injury time United would receive two catastrophic blows almost simultaneously. First, Rooney would go down injured with what looked to be a sprained ankle. Then, Olic would pick pocket a very naive Evra, who until that point had a brilliant game, inside the box and position himself right in front of goal with no pressure and put the second goal in for Bayern. Making life very difficult for United, both in the Champions League and in the Premier League.

Maybe Sir Alex got it wrong with the subs. He should have kept Park on, instead have taken Nani off for Valencia, and left Berbatov on the bench. Put someone in who wants to play, not a lazy and lanky striker in as a winger.

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United will have a strong line-up for the quarter-final. I predict Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, and Evra across the back, Carrick and Fletcher as holding midfielders Nani on the left and Park on the right, with Rooney up top.

Robben looks to be in doubt for the big match, and that would be a big plus, seeing as how the Dutchman has been in impeccable form.

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