We are fast approaching the final weeks of both domestic and European competitions, and Rooney’s Manchester United has successfully defended the League Cup, crawled to the top of the Premier League, and earned a spot in the Champions League quarter-finals by decimating Italian giants, AC Milan.

Rooney’s individual form is even more extraordinary. In 28 Premier League games Rooney has scored 25 goals, 2 goals in 3 League Cup games, and in 5 Champions League games, 4 goals. Brining his total tally to an impressive 32 goals this season, with at very least 10 games left.

The Player of the Year is usually determined by your individual performance, team’s performance in both domestic and European competitions, and in a World Cup year like 2010, and your country’s performance.

Unlike Ronaldo, Messi, Kaka or any other player shortlisted in last years Player of the Year award, Rooney has been carrying his team on his own. The only question now is, how long can he continue to do so?

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Lets start with United’s starting line-up. The back four were fine. My issue was in the midfield, Why was Rooney on the left? And why was Ronaldo playing as a lone striker. It should have been Ronaldo on the right, Giggs on the left, and Rooney up top.  Scholes in the center with Anderson and Carrick as a holding mid.

I think Sir Alex got caught up in the hype surrounding Park becoming the first Korean footballer to contest a Champions League final. Yes Park is in form, but like I’ve said before Park doesn’t have the presence to define a game, there are players that can take charge and change the outcome of a game and Park isn’t that player.

Next are the tactics. Barcelona did exactly what they were supposed to, they put the ball on the ground and kept possession. That way they took away two of United’s strengths, height and power. And United played right into it, they insisted on playing long ball. Making their make shift defensive line-up to look world class.

It will be interesting to see how United deal with the loss. Will Ronaldo and Tevez stay? Who will United sign if they leave? Can they make it to the final again while winning a record 19th premier league title? Make sure to check back all summer for the latest news.

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United could make history by being the first team to successfully defend their Champions League title. On paper, United are clearly favorites. Rio confirmed he will play and it seems Fletcher will be the only player to miss out on the grand finale. While Barca will be missing Abidal, Marquez, Alves, and Milito. While Henry and Iniesta remain doubtful.

United will have to attack and abuse Barca’s weak and vulnerable back four. While being able to contain Messi, Eto’o and Henry. Ferdinand and Vidic will hold Eto’o and Evra can keep up with Messi, but Henry may cause a problem for O’Shea.

While at the opposite end, Ronaldo will do what he wants with Silvinho. Rooney is already in Pique’s head, after the ex-United defender claimed “When he (Rooney) is focused he is simply unstoppable”

United are going into Rome with a “we will win” attitude, while Barca think “we might win” and that will mark the difference.

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Barcelona’s Argentine forward Lionel Messi was second and Liverpool’s Spanish striker Fernando Torres third.

Also on the shortlist for the prestigious award was Milan playmaker Kaka – winner of last year’s award – and Messi’s Barcelona team-mate Xavi, who was voted Euro 2008 Player of the Tournament by a UEFA panel

Portugal winger Ronaldo, 23, won the honour for the first time after helping United win the Premier League, Champions League and Club World Cup.

The accolade also completed a hat-trick of top individual honours for Ronaldo, who had already won the football journalists’ Ballon d’Or trophy and the FIFPro World Player of the Year title voted for by his fellow professionals.

“It’s an overwhelming moment, very special,” said Ronaldo after receiving the award from Pele.

“I can say to my mother and sister, ‘let the fireworks off now’. It’s one of the most important moments in my life.”

Ronaldo is the first player based at an English club to win the FIFA award, which had previously gone only to footballers playing for Spanish or Italian sides.

“There may be no English players here but I believe it’s important for England that myself and Fernando Torres are here representing two English clubs,” said Ronaldo before the ceremony.

“It is a victory for the English fans as well because the Premier League is strong, even though we must not forget the leagues in Spain and Italy remain strong as well.”

The FIFA award is voted by the national team coaches and captains of the 208-member associations of world soccer’s governing body.

Ronaldo was voted in first place by 136 of the coaches and captains while 76 put Messi top.

The United player picked up 935 total points, ahead of 678 for Messi and 203 for Torres.

Brazilian striker Marta won the Women’s award for the third consecutive year, equaling the record of Germany’s Birgit Prinz, who finished second this time round with less than a third of the points (328) that Marta accrued (1,002). England’s Kelly Smith was fifth behind Cristiane and Nadine Angerer of Brazil and Germany respectively.

Cristiano Ronaldo factfile

* Born on February 5 1985 in Funchal, Madeira Ronaldo’s late father Jose Dinis Aveiro gave him the second given name Ronaldo in honour of former US president Ronald Reagan.

* He began attracting attention at the age of 10 and both Madeira’s top teams Maritimo and Nacional scouted him. He played his youth football at Nacional before joining Sporting Lisbon, arch-rivals to his boyhood favourites Benfica.

* The turning point in his career came in July 2003 when he impressed Manchester United’s players and manager Alex Ferguson with an outstanding performance against them when United came to play in the Jose Alvalade Stadium in Lisbon. He joined Manchester United shortly afterwards aged just 18 for £12.5 million.

* Since then Ronaldo has scored 102 goals for Manchester United in 264 matches for the club.

* The winger enjoyed a highly successful 2007-08 season, scoring 42 goals in all competitions as United won a Premier League and Champions League double.

* His exploits led to him becoming only the second player to win England’s Footballer of the Year in successive seasons and just the third Portuguese player to win the Ballon d’Or award after Eusebio in 1965 and Luis Figo in 2000.
Reuters

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It’s simple, Messi’s Barcelona didn’t win the Champions League and Barca didn’t win La Liga.
Ronaldo scored 31 goals in the Premier league and scored 8 goals in the Champions League, becoming the top scorer in both competitions.

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Cristiano Ronaldo is also expected to take Balon D’Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year award. Lionel Messi is considered to be Ronaldos main rival for the two prestiges awards.

But Ronaldo will win both. Its simple, Ronaldo brought home silverware for his team. Ronaldo helped United win the Premier League and the Champions League, while Messi’s Barcelona slipped to third in the closing weeks of the 07/08 La Liga season

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But the heavy favorite to win the FIFA World Player of the Year, Cristiano Ronaldo, admitted that not until he has won the Champions League does he believe he could be considered the best in the world. “I have been totally surprised by how many goals I have scored as I am not even a centre forward, But to be the best in the world I have to win titles like the Champions League and the Premier League.” he told the Daily Mail.

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Ronaldo frustrated United fans all over the world repeatedly. He wasn’t playing to his full potential, and the constant tumbling, followed by demanding a call, was really getting on my last nerves. But I believe Ronaldo did what he set out to do. He drew a lot of attention, which indirectly led to Uniteds goal. Ronaldo drew 3 Barcelona defenders to him just before Zambrotta cleared the ball. A ball that  landed on the feet of Scholes, who had all the time in the world to get off the perfect shot, time that he wouldn’t have had if Ronaldo hadn’t drawn those defenders.

Messi also didn’t play to his full potential. That’s understandable considering he was coming back from an injury. Messi did carry the ball more than Ronaldo. He took 3 shots to Ronaldo’s 1. He made 30 accurate passes and only 6 bad passes to Ronaldo’s 18 accurate and 7 bad ones.

I believe Messi was the better player in this series, because he had to be. Ronaldo had more talent around him as was able to play more tactically instead of being involved directly like Messi did.

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United started with a pretty solid line up Evra, Brown, Ferdinand, and Hargreaves in the back. Park, Carrick, Scholes, Nani in the middle and Ronaldo, Tevez up top.

Barcelona started with Zambrotta, Puyol, Milito, Abidal,in the back. Toure Deco Xavi, Messi, Iniesta, in the middle and Eto’o up top

Scholes tripped Messi in the first minute just outside the box. Barcelona supprtors wanted a penalty. But you could clearly see both of Messi’s feet where outside the box. Messi would take the shot. It was a poor effort as it came off the wall.

It looked like Yaya Toure’s job was to follow Cristiano Ronaldo around the whole match. He wasn’t giving Ronaldo an inch.

Van der Sar had a horrible attempt at a clear early in the first half. The ball went to Eto’o, who then dribbled all the way into the 18 but Ferdinand saved the day.

In the first 10 minutes Ronaldo went down at least 3 times, after sensing mild contact and kept asking for a call and all three times the referee, rightfully waved “play on” !
FORGET ABOUT THE CALL AND PLAY RONALDO!

GOAL!!!!! In the 14th minute Scholes fired a scorcher from 25 yards out after a Ronaldo lost the ball attempting to take on the entire Barcelona defence. Zambrotta had a dreadful clear and it landed nicely for Scholes in the middle of the field 25 yards out, and that’s Scholes territory. Valdes never had a chance.

Ronaldo went down in the 17th minute after Milito took his feet out from under him. Even then, Ronaldo added a little of his acting skills flying 3 more inches then he should have.
Nothing came from the free kick.

Messi had one of his signature counter attack runs in the 20th minute. Those runs are his most dangerous, he carries the ball up the right side, takes two or three players this time it was Scholes then Brown, then cuts inside to his left foot right around the 18 and fires far post with the inside of his left foot to curl it around goalkeepers, he has scored several goals that way. But not against Van der Sar. The United keeper pushed it wide and denied the young Argentine.

Ronaldo supplied Park wonderfully but Park could redirect it enough, he came very close but in the end it was wide.

I don’t feel Park has the presence to define a game. Again in the 28th minute, he had every advantage to take the shot, but doesn’t. He looks for Scholes, who had 2 guys on him. He’s a player that will win balls in the midfield and then pass them off, but never has the courage to take a guy on or attempt something new.
Its good and bad.

Scary run by Barcelona. They connected very well and ended with a shot by Deco, but it was over the bar.
Another chance from Deco, Carrick slipped and the ball was left for Deco to take a right footed shot from the top of the 18 but it just went wide.

Van der Sar has a strange moment and doesn’t grip the ball how he should. He leaves it in the middle of his goal box. Brown runs into him attempting to clear the ball, causing the Dutchman to ask for medical attention. Luckily it was just a know on the head.

Ronaldo has another “Ronaldo” moment in the 40th minute, he tried to take on 4 players instead of playing with his team.

Nani came very close to scoring by getting into position for a header, but he didn’t connect like he would’ve liked and it just went wide.

United’s defense was very sloppy, luckily for them Barcelona didn’t capitalized on it.

Half time

No changes for United

Good chance for Nani as Ronaldo put the ball into the middle, but the Barcelona defender got to it first, out for a corner

Good ball from Tevez to Ronaldo down the left flank, Ronaldo tried to return the favor, but Toure interrupted the play. It was a great ball and it would have been a spectacular goal.

Messi miss hit’s a ball after doing a good job of getting into space. He hit it with the outside of this left foot and the ball went way wide.

Tevez had a good chance in the 56th minute after playing a one-two with Ronaldo but Valdes denied him. Great run by Tevez.

Tevez played a good game. He did everything you would expect from him. He was all over the place, challenging more intelligently then he did in the 1st leg.

Ronaldo looked like he was a little more comfortable. I think after Scholes scored the goal, Ronaldo felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. And that mentality of “I have to do everything” was suppressed a little, just enough for him to play well.

Great run by Nani and Ronaldo in the 60th minute. They played off each other well, Nani decided to do it alone and did well, until the shot. It was pitiful!

Henry came on for Iniesta in the 60th minute

Carrick was carded after committing a professional foul on Messi, who was making a run down the middle of the field. Not a bad decision. Messi could be dangerous better to put him down 35 yards out.

Yellow card for Ronaldo in the 68th minute, after yet another scuffle with Zambrota. They went at it the whole game. Ronaldo should have switched to the right side, he was just getting more and more frustrated and losing focus battling with Zambrotta.

Tevez battled and won the ball in the 70th minute, and the crowd loved it!

Toure was booked, and with that yellow he would have missed the final if Barca had advanced

Henry came all the way into his own 20 yards to get his first touch on the ball and he did win it, then lost it to Park, but then won it only to lose it once more, this time for a United corner
This would see the Eto’o as he came off for the young Bojan

Nani and Scholes came off for Giggs and Fletcher in the

Great save for Van der Sar, after Henry redirects a corner kick 77th minute. An ok game for Nani, but a memorable game for Scholes as his goal sent Man Utd into the Champions League Final.

Ronaldo tried one, he took it down the right flank, cut to the middle and fired a shot with his left foot!
But it went wide.

Another dive from Ronaldo in the 82nd minute.
And he fouled Zambrotta again. They were in each others throats all game

Evra went down in the 90th minute, after getting kicked by his teammate and would be down through the 93rd until being subbed off for Silvestre.

The games last play in the 97th minute would come after Ronaldo tripped Bojan on the right flank. Every Barcelona player was in the box including Valdes, the goalkeeper. But United were able to clear the ball and the refree blew the final whistle.

UNITED ARE IN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL!!!!!
Set to take place in Moscow, May 21st 2008

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Samuel Eto’o, unlike Henry United are not as familiar with the African striker. He is very powerful and fast, not as strong as Drogba but definitely more technique. He is Barcelona’s top scorer in La Liga with 14 goals.

Iniesta and Xavi, Individually not so threatening but together they are deadly. This Spanish duo work unbelievably well together and are the “heart” of Barcelona. They play center mids, one slightly left and the other slightly right, usually every attack goes through them, hence they are the “heart” of the team.

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