FC Barcelona and Manchester United, both leaders in their respective countries' domestic competitions, will meet at the
Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy to decide who will be crowned champion of Europe for 2010/2011.
Barcelona's berth is perhaps sweeter, as they overcame rivlas Real Madrid to book their ticket for Rome. The tie, which finished 3-1 on aggregate showcased the Catalans' ability to possess and Lionel Messi's potency in the attack.
The young Argentinian scored 2 goals in the first leg (0-2), putting his club firmly in the driver's seat before the return leg finished 1-1.
Manchester United dominated German opposition Schalke 04 over two legs, winning the tie with a 6-1 aggregate advantage. The English club stole the advantage in Gelsenkirchen, finishing 2 goals ahead.
Although the absence of several first team regulars weakened the Red Devils' line-up on paper, the outcome was anything but that. The 4-1 final score resulted from a brace by midfielder Anderson while fellow youngsters Darren Gibson and Antonio Valencia rounded out the scoreline.
The final will be held at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy on Saturday, May 28th at 20:45 CET.
2011-05-06
