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Probably the best footballer in the world - Barcelona's Ronaldhino |
Arsenal v Barcelona Champions League final
Barca - beautiful, brilliant, beatable
BARCELONA are special because they are owned by their fans, who have a say in the election of their President.
Barcelona are special because they have so much respect for their tradition (unlike, it pains me to say, Arsenal) that they have never had a shirt sponsor.
Barcelona are special because they play in the greatest stadium in the world.
Barcelona are special because their fans opposed Franco under the fascist dictatorship in Spain.
Barcelona are special because some of the greatest players in the world have played for them, or managed them – from the best goalkeeper of the early phase of football Ricardo Zamora, to Hungarian forward Lazsi Kubala and cult manager Helenio Herrera in the 1950s. From Johan Cruyff (manager and player) to Maradona to Gary Lineker to Romario to Ronaldo to Figo to ... Ronaldhino.
You can see why Henry would want to go there, but he wouldn’t be No 1 there, or even No 2. He would probably be No 3.
Of course we mustn’t forget Bobby Robson and his translator, some bloke called Jose Mourinho.
Barcelona are special because when Luis Figo moved to hated rivals Real Madrid they threw a pig’s head at him, while he was taking a corner. Barcelona – in short – are unique.
They make “Manchester United look like Rochdale” (Simon Kuper).
But, Barcelona can be beaten.
Their record in the European Cup is pretty bad. Despite 16 championships, they only have one Champions League to their name, and even that was a rather lucky victory against Sampdoria, who missed loads of chances in 1992 at Wembley before Ronald Koeman scored a late winner.
Like Arsenal, they specialised in the unglamorous (now defunct) Cup-Winners Cup. The last time they were in the final, Barça cracked – losing 4-0 to AC Milan in 1994.
They also lost two other finals. Since then, they haven’t got there. They have a dodgy defence, you need to attack them of course, and you need to get the ball off their midfielders which is never easy, but they are not invincible – which should make for a great game.
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