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Saturday, December 19, 2009, 17:00 local CET – Zayed Sports City, Abu Dhabi

Unplug the phones, lock all the doors. Satisfy the kids with a 50 pound note and a day at the fair. Shut all the blinds, isolate the world and pull yourself away. The game that stops the world is hours away with each second being individually counted down by awe-struck fans. Football has reached its climax as tonight, one team will be officially declared as the best football side in the world. The two sides are phenomenal with their own brand of unique football. With one recently coming off an implausible treble-winning season and the other the current holders of what is renowned as possibly the most highly contested competitions in the world.

Buenos Aires. The populous and bubbly province of Argentina from which historical architecture, stunning coastlines as well as famous estancias ranches aid in giving this province its own individual ‘personality’. However, behind this individual and not to mention stunning city along with its infinite tourist attractions lurks something greater, something that boasts Buenos Aires more than any other mania that resides within this incredible region. It is the province’s undeniable obsession with football. An obsession that has seen great players and most notably great clubs erupt from within. It is thus, we zone in on the first team that will tonight partake in the FIFA Club World Cup Final; Estudiantes de La Plata from Argentina.

Estudiantes are one of the most competitive sides in the hotly-contested Primera División Argentina having had won 4 titles in its century long history, with the last title coming in the form of the Argentine Apertura in 2006 before finishing in third place in 2008. This was backed up by falling to a dismal 7th in the Apertura and 6th in the Clausura. However, a complicated system set in place by the AFA that sees performances of the last 3 seasons averaged out by dividing the points earned by the number of matches played in order to determine the promedio to see who qualifies for the prestigious Copa Libertadores.

It is the Champions League of South American football. Only greater. This competition is – dissimilar to its European counterpart – not ruled by the Manchester Uniteds, Real Madrids, Chelseas and Barcelonas of the world. No, this competition is up for grabs for any side who possess heart, determination and passion, a statement that is well backed up by the statistic that shows 22 individual winners over the last 30 years in this prestigious competition to compare dismally against the UEFA Champions League in which there have been a mere 17 winners in the same time span, as the European tournament continues to be taken over by select teams, with the last 5 finals all being played with at least one English team.

Despite this, the UEFA Champions League remains one of the most renowned competitions in the world with only the Libertadores itself competing with it for the accolade of ‘Worlds most prestigious champions tournament’.

The Libertadores is spread across all the nations complient with the CONMEBOL which is applicable to 10 different countries, as well as the Mexican Primera Division who were accepted into the tournament in 1998.

The current champions of this history-bursting tournament are Estudiantes. And they will tonight face, rightfully so, the current UEFA Champions League holders – FC Barcelona.

To say that FC Barcelona’s most recent season went well would be a gross understatement. Labelled ‘the man whom no one trusted’ Pep Guardiola was – on the 8th May in 2008 – announced as the new manager of Barcelona. Coming from the Barcelona B team Guardiola was very much unknown to the footballing world and despite having a successful playing career in which he was part of the Blaugrana’s inaugural European Cup win no one had heard anything major of his managerial status as his lack of experience was being questioned from all sides. But boy did he show them, the critics were blown aside as Barcelona became an unstoppable beast. No one and nothing could restrain them as they destroyed everyone and everything that came into their path in Godzilla-like fashion as they marched onward to a historic Treble in which they won the Copa del Rey, the Spanish Primera and, as lastly, the UEFA Champions League. Barcelona then showed that this was not to be a one-season-wonder as they begun the 2009/10 season in mesmerizing style by winning the Spanish Supercup and the European Supercup in Valencia and Monaco respectively as these two tournaments became Barcelona’s 4th and 5th trophies earned in the same year. Barcelona now have a chance to make history as they prepare for the final hurdle against Estudiantes, a hurdle that, three years ago under Frank Rijkaard they stumbled with 8 minutes to the whistle.

Redemption, a second chance, these are some of the words that may flicker by a ‘Culés’ mind as they picture this historic final. However, to Guardiola the only word that comes to mind is one and one only, ‘Perfection’ and that is exactly what Barcelona are here to do. It is unwise according the Manager come philosopher who’s modest words have helped bring back the beautiful side of Barcelona’s game as well as injecting a mysterious ‘fear’ into their opposition.

This match up was inevitable as the winners of the world’s two biggest champions competitions line up to do battle in Abu Dhabi in what is officially the biggest club competition on the planet.

Form Guide

A ‘yo-yoing’ form has gripped Alejandro Sabella’s men as ‘the rat stabbers’ are yet to win consecutive matches in their last 10 fixtures with a W-L-W-L-L-W-L-D-D-W slate giving them a far than impressive record in which to come into this game with. Conceding 8 goals in their last 7 matches has seen Estudiantes’ defence come under much scrutiny with most of it coming in the aftermath of their game against South Korean outfit Pohang Steelers who – despite playing the remaining 15 minutes of the match with 8 men – were unlucky not to break through a shaky Estudiantes defence who were nearly caught out due to simple errors on a number of occasions.

Barcelona’s form is seemingly flawless of late and despite having gone down in the early stages in two games (with one a Champions League game on the either side of the Barcelona derby against Espanyol) they managed to peg back a win. Undefeated in the league and only one defeat this season two months ago to the day Barcelona are once again showing signs of that unstoppable force that took the footballing world by storm last season, when weighing up Estudiantes’ less than convincing form to the Catalans a ‘bread and butter’ result seems imminent.

Team News

Barcelona

Pep Guardiola was showing considerable empathy and sharing in Andres Iniesta’s pain during a press conference today in which the Manager stated that “there is nothing worse that could have befallen Iniesta” and that for Iniesta’s generosity, the effort he put in to play the Champions League Final and for his heroics against Chelsea that it is very aggrieving and poor that he is to miss the final.
Meanwhile Lionel Messi has stated that despite still feeling pain in his ankle he will start against the team from his home country.

Predicted Starting XI, Barcelona: Valdes – Alves – Puyol – Pique – Abidal – Xavi – Busquets – Toure – Messi – Ibrahimovic – Henry

Estudiantes

On loan winger Marcelo Carrusca has a 6-month shoulder injury with the number 10 being the only casualty for Estudiantes who look set to field the same line up that took on Pohang on Wednesday.

Predicted Starting XI, Estudiantes: Albil – Rodriguez – Desabato – Diaz – Re – Veron – Brana – Perez – Nunez – Benitez – Boselli
Key Players

Lionel Messi

Culés worldwide had already destroyed their fingernails and became shaking from the toes up when Pep Guardiola made a seemingly ‘suicidal’ substitution by forcing Argentine Lionel Messi into the fray against Atlante on Wednesday. Messi walked carefully onto the field with a noticeable pain piercing his ankle as he began to stride forward into attack. 58 seconds later Ibrahimovic found the number 10 in space who cool-as-you-like trotted past the keeper to finish coolly past a few desperate Mexican lunges. Lionel Messi was back in action as the estupendo sustituto or the super sub. The newly crowned Ballon d’Or is now gearing up for possibly the biggest match of his career that he has declared that his side are not to be overconfident heading into this fixture as Estudiantes are ‘a great team.’

“We are living a special moment. Winning this game would allow us to cap off a massive 2009 and complete something that never appeared likely even in my wildest dreams, but we should not declare victory before winning the trophy.”

An excellent knowledge of the Argentine game as well as an uncanny knack for performing in the big matches will see fans witness the phenomen at his absoulute best and it may be wise for one to see Messi play in a more central role in behind Ibrahimovic and Pedro in a possible 4-3-1-2 formation.

Mauro Boselli

Though many may believe that former Manchester United star Juan Sebastián Verón will be the one to lead Estudiantes to victory against Barcelona many are undermining the skill of the man who has been the driving force in Estudiantes’ assault on the FIFA Club World Cup and the Copa Libertadores.

Leading his clubs goalscoring this season on 17 saw the 24 year old top the goalscoring chats in this year’s Copa Libertadores with 8 goals (one less than Lionel Messi’s UEFA Champions League haul of 9 goals.)

Boselli also seems to possess Messi’s talent of coming up with the goods in the big matches with the former Malaga B player scoring in the Copa Libertadores final against Brazilian outfit Cruzeiro as well as snatching a 90th minute goal to seal a brace in the semi-finals of the same competition. With Veron’s playmaking style and skills and Boselli’s brilliance Estudiantes may prove to be the breaking point for Barcelona who have been playing a game every 3 days for a month now.

Prediction

An almighty conclusion is now needed to cap off what has been nothing short of a brilliant year for Barcelona. Should they stumble at the final hurdle this season and the last will be remembered not for the FIFA Club World Cup Final, but for the immense achievement that the Blaugrana have rightfully earned. Once again Barcelona may have an immediate struggle as they need time to adapt and come to terms with Estudiantes’ gameplay and style, this could well be ‘El Leóns’ only opportunity to grab an advantage against the possesion-obsessed Blaugrana and it would not be foolish to expect this.

It is almost inevitable that the Argentines find the back of the net. But with Ibrahimovic, Xavi and Messi all on board, Blue and Maroon confetti is sure to rain down in Abu Dhabi tonight. This is finally it for Barcelona, they are about to achieve something that has always eluded them. This is the chance for them to take the step from great to superior. This is a step that they are ready to take.

Barcelona 3 – 1 Estudiantes

Leo10.