andy said:
So Messi set to play on Wednesday against Cadiz?
they're playing Celta mid-week ... but nah man, Messi won't be risked at least until next week ... he really badly wants to play in the Champions League final, and feels that his patience will reap dividends (he rushed back from injury last time, and that did not work out at all for him ... so he's making 100% sure this time that he'll play in the final v. Arsenal, and then go on to star in Germany ...)
Paulo Da Silva said:
great to see Xavi back. get him some games like 3-4 and he should be ready for the finals. Him and Deco in that midfield will destroy Arsenals mid, plain and simple.
"destroy" is such a powerful word ... try it, say it ... DESTROY!
and you're absolutely right ... they more than have the ability to do so, not only due to skill, but mere mental toughness ... Deco is one of the most brilliant thinkers in football, hence his overwhelming success with Porto, Barca, and the Portuguese national team ... Xavi is no slouch either ... he's not spearheading the Spanish midfield by being a slouch!
and if the Arsenal midfield can be destroyed, then it'll be annihilation at the back ... Arsenal have shut out everyone in knock-out stages, and Lehmann, Toure & Co. have been great ... but they quickly forget that they played two legendary teams that were in horrendous form ...
Real Madrid have shown such terrible cohesion this season that their inability to score against Arsenal was not at all surprising ... they really on a major ebb as a whole ...
and when they played Juventus, the Bianconeri had hit a slump big enough for them to go from being runaway league leaders to throwing the title away ... that was a shadow of the formidable Juve side that can be seen on paper ...
Villareal lack pace, and Roman did not get enough support to carve open Arsenal in London ... with better finishing Guille Franco could have tied up the game three times over ...
but with Samuel Eto'o, Ronaldinho, and Ludovic Giuly or hopefully a fit-again Leo Messi, there is blistering pace on all three fronts ... Ronnie, Deco, Xavi can pull the strings and thread the needle over and over again ... once more, there's not one player doing the job, but THREE! ... and Deco, Iniesta, and at the back Puyol are such ball-winners ... none of that crap Javi Venta was allowing them in the first leg of the Arse-Villareal game ... all we need to do is stick to the basics, and the game is in the bag! and of all the people, Arsene Wenger will know this all too well ... will be a terrific final, and hopefully a glorious night for the BLAUGRANA!