Barcelona and Manchester United go head-to-head at Wembley tomorrow evening in the final of European football’s most prestigious competition. Both sides have recently been crowned league champions in their respective countries, and both have a Brazilian influence in their squads.
English champions Manchester United secured the title with a game to spare, eventually finishing nine points ahead of second-placed Chelsea. They finished their league campaign with a 4-2 win against Blackpool, and Anderson gave Sir Alex Ferguson a reminder of his ability with a fine curling finish.
The midfielder is not normally known for his goalscoring, but his strike against Blackpool was his fourth of the season, with each of his other three coming in the Champions League. He scored an important equaliser at home to Valencia in the group stages to ensure United finished top of their group.
Anderson also bagged two goals against Schalke in the second leg of the semi-final, helping United to progress comfortably, and seems to be moving back towards his best after a difficult time last season. His form has seen him earn a recall back to the national side, and he will be hoping to cap it off with some game time tomorrow.
Another player hoping to be involved is Rafael. The young right-back has featured in seven of United’s twelve Champions League games this season, including big games away to Valencia and Chelsea and home to Marseille. He was sent off in last season’s quarter-final exit against Bayern Munich, but has set about repairing that damage with some impressive form this term.
Like Anderson, Rafael was in the squad in the 2009 final, also against Barcelona. But while Anderson started and played the first 45 minutes, Rafael was an unused substitute. With no player at Old Trafford really making the right-back slot their own currently, Rafael will be hoping he can win the selection battle.
One of the players he will be competing with for that role is his brother Fabio. The second of da Silva twins is perhaps the most likely of United’s Brazilians to start, with The Sun suggesting Ferguson will pick the same starting XI that won away to Schalke for the final.
Fabio was in that side and put in an assured performance, and now looks favourite for the right-back position, despite originally signing as a left-back. He had previously been in the shadow of his brother, with Rafael making many more appearances, but has started to appear more this season.
Whether or not any or all of these Brazilians feature is uncertain, but all will be hoping they can have some impact in one of the biggest games in football. Of the three, Fabio is most likely to be on the pitch from the start, while Rafael and Anderson are likely to be on the bench.
