Two days hence the biggest event since we were nearly Raptured away is happening. I know you were sitting in your home, office, shantytown, and thinking to your self: “self, I wonder what the writers for this blog that I read religiously predict for the final on Saturday, I wish they would compile them all in one location.” Well, have no fear reader, because after scouring the emails and waiting on certain people who take forever to reply (read: Isaiah), we’re finally ready to go. Feel free to agree, or disagree as you will. Linda was unable to take part unfortunately.

Isaiah-Founder, overlord, jive turkey: 2-0 Barça

“The game itself should be fun. The questions leading up to it are all about United’s formation and Barça’s back line health, but when kickoff happens, we should see some serious fun and some seriously talented players having that fun. Goals by Eto’o, err I mean Pedro and Messi. Valdes saves well from Park early on, but then Anderson in the middle screws up and Iniesta torches him and provides the assist. From there, it’s all over except the trophy ceremony and the lauding from the journos. Greatest club team in history? Can they repeat in Germany next year? Which Icelandic volcano will keep them from doing it?”

Kevin-”Editor,” talking head, floor general: 2-1 Barça

“If Villa is as (Kevin said a naughty word) as he’s been of late, we’re screwed. Can’t beat them with just Messi. Pedro isn’t going to be the difference maker. You can cover him with a single man. He CAN be the difference maker if Messi and Villa are on. Rooney is the wild card. He’s a freed man with no more Thong Boy in the side. And Chicharito is a pain. Possession will be more important than ever before. Personally, I don’t think that straight up, they can beat us. But if somebody gives the ball away in the wrong spot (cough! Zambrotta! cough!) suddenly we’re down a goal, and the wagons are circled.

The side will be rested and full-strength, and neither side will have the fully honed match fitness, which means that natural talent starts to carry the day. We have the most talented player(s) on the planet at a few positions. I don’t see a 3-0, but I can easily see a 2-1, with goals by Pique and Iniesta.”

Luke-Honey badger, wisenheimer, naked & famous: 3-1 Barça

“Goals by Messi x 2, Iniesta, and Chicharito. It’s not that Manchester United is such a weak side that they will or can be easily manhandled or that Sir Alex is some bush league tactician who knows nothing about the game, it’s that they have already stated they have no real plan for Messi (like Mou did with Pepe) and with Messi, Pedro, Villa, Xavi, and Iniesta all starting, along with Afellay in reserve, that’s 6 players who are difficult enough to prepare for without taking into account Alves and Busquets. The problems will come from the back like they have recently, but not from Rooney. It will be the sneaky Little Pea who will give the back line fits and with lingering questions at LB, the health of Puyol in some question, and Abidal’s slow return all in focus, it would mean VV has to stand on his head to make this Barcelona’s 4th European title and a huge Double. It’s not that I’m overconfident, I’m not, it’s just that I have so much respect for Messi in these huge games and Xaviniesta create plays better than any tandem in the world.”

Soccermom-Holy mother, Kanye West’s hypeman, union winner: 2-1 Barça

“I honestly have not the slightest idea, except for some really bad puns involving Bárdarbunga and plays by Eugene O’Neill. Don’t quote me directly but I’m going for Barça 2 – Man U. 1, goals by: Chicarito (min. 8), Messi (p., min. 37) and Iniesta (min. 68). Because really, why the hell not?”

Colin-British name, live blogging machine, thug life: 2-1 Barça

“Barcelona wins 2-1, with Messi and Pedro scoring. In my mind I’ve been billing this game as the Magnificent Barcelona against Stalwart Manchester. Early on it will be a very even match, but Barcelona will find the goal first and Manchester will be forced to chase the match. Xavi, Iniesta, and Messi will form a roving triangle of death for Manchester that they just won’t be able to stop. Manchester will pull one back in the second half, and it will be a nervy ending but Barcelona has the mental toughness to be champions, and they will repeat the win from two years ago”

Kari-Canadian, owner/operator of Cesc fan club, daughter of Jens Lehman: 3-0 Barça

“This match really depends on the first goal. Cliche, I know, but really. I don’t think Man Utd will be going all out against us, because, well, with all due respect that’d be suicide. My brain tells me they’ll play a conservative game and look to hit us on the counter using their pace (which is why I think Valencia will start), so it won’t be a high scoring game. Luckily, we’ve had ample time to work out how to play against such a team (4 times in fact. Ahem.) The boys are really, really ready for this one. I’m sure that Xavi and co. feel really pumped at the thought of winning the CL in the same stadium the club won its very first in 1992. They’re romantics like that. (And I am too).

Messi will probably be quadruple teamed but that leaves space for Pedro! and Villa to exploit. Iniesta will be massive in this match with his attacking forays (just chut de bol, Andres! Good things happen when you do! Like birth rates go up!) and to add to the team’s confidence is that our resident caveman of a captain is back, and our best outfield player of the season that isn’t Messi that come back from a liver tumor will feature as well. It’s both full backs and Villa’s first final and we want to win this one. United have boatloads of quality and will have their fair share of chances, but our ‘keeper Valdes is in a rich vein of form and it won’t be easy to beat him. I respect United, but I have faith in this team. I want this CL. Badly.

Official prediction that I wish will become a reality: 3-0, Barcelona: Villa, Messi, Abidal (what can I say? I’m a romantic.)”

Euler – Bridge Wanderer, Rinus Michels StickerCollector: 3-1 Barça

Barça have been off form for several months. With two weeks off and one game left to play I believe they’ll circle back towards maximum performance. Look for Barça to come out and press with great intensity like they did against Arsenal at Camp Nou. I expect that level of energy.

Manchester United is a wonderful club –- better than many give them credit for. However, United are weakest in the one area where you just can’t afford to give against Barça –- in the space between the lines. In turn Manchester United are going to be forced to make very difficult trade-offs in how they play, and how they allocate game resources.

Perhaps the key player for Barça is going to be the LB, who will most likely (hopefully?) be Abidal. United will look to circumvent the midfield when they are in possession, and look to play the ball out very fast to the wings to build play. The danger man for them is Valencia –- who is a wonderful flank player. Valencia lines up where Barça are in theory most vulnerable due to injury and lack of form. If the left back can contain the United right wing player, Barça will be that much more secure in winning. The other player who will need to be in form for Barça is Busquets, as he will likely be responsible for marking Rooney in his unorthodox role.

Goals by Messi, Ghostface and Pedro. Havoc wrought by all the blaugrana!

So there you have it, a lot of 2-1′s and everyone taking Barcelona for their 4th European title.

Because I’m all about impartiality and unbiased reporting, I did an interview with Bassam, the proprietor of the Real Madrid Offside page. Here it is, folks:

On a more serious note, the only player we have suspended for the league clásico is Granero. Higuain and Kaka are coming back from long term injuries while Benzema is back from a two-week layoff. Lass is MIA, as he got injured 2 days ago. Gago has been out all season and Peter the Lion is in Neverland. With all that said, our squad is huge (too big if you ask me), and we still have two players for each position except the full back position. Fitness wise, the players got a rest over the weekend with Mourinho resting Ronaldo, Ozil, Alonso, Marcelo, Adebayor/Benzema and Khedira. Di Maria didn’t play against Spurs and the whole team was in second gear.

So for the league clásico we will be without Granero (suspension), Gago (injury) and Peter Lion (Ask Mou).

With that said, his first touch is very poor, and if applied pressure on really quickly, he can be dispossessed. This could be important for Barcelona since if he drops deep (to the middle of the park) to get the ball, and he is pressured and dispossessed there, then that’s a good breakaway for you guys.

Mou is definitely staying. Hate him or love him, he is a great coach. Aside from press conferences that he makes to build the whole “us against the world” idea in a team, I think he has been doing great. He has not been defensive and the team finally found a little bit of balance between attack and defense. It’s really hard to play defensively with players like Ronaldo, Ozil, Benzema and Higuain. Considering this is a fairly new team and he is a new coach, he earned himself a spot on our bench next year after the second Lyon game.

So rest assured my cule friends, you will have someone to vent built up frustrations on next year

If Lass is not fully fit, then either Di Maria or Marcelo will take his spot.

For the Saturday game I think, unfortunately, Barça might edge Madrid out on the basis of them being in the driver’s seat in that game. Overall though, I think Madrid will notch up one win. That win can be the most vital one. I must say, I wouldn’t mind losing another Manita in the CDR final if it means going through to the CL final.

BFB: You said the Thong Boy thing, not me. Thanks for being here!

Thanks for having me here, it’s been a real pleasure.

A conversation with Leonor Gallardo, PhD in Physical and Sports Sciences, professor at the Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha and director of the Master’s program of Sports Development for the Spanish Royal Football Federation. She is co-author, with Juan Carlos Cubiero (President, Eurotalent and professor at the Universidad de Deusto, San Pablo-CEU) of two books:  La Roja: El triunfo de un equipo [The Reds: Triumph of a Team] (Alienta Editorial 2009)  and, more recently, Liderazgo Guardiola: Como lograr que tu equipo sea admirado [Guardiola’s Leadership: How to Create an Admirable Team] (Alienta Editorial 2010).

Professor Gallardo was kind enough to reply to my fan-e-mail after I saw her interview on TVE’s ‘Deporte Noche’, a midnight must for any cable-connected Liga fan who suffers from a) insomnia; b) late-night talk-show wearies; and/or c) lingering jitters after a major mid-week match. She graciously agreed to participate in our BFB community, answered my questions and trusted my English. Enjoy!

Liderazgo Guardiola is available from many major Spanish booksellers (including on-line stores Casa del Libro, Planeta del Libro and the inevitable El Corte Inglés.)

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Updated! At the bottom of this post is the podcast I did with Adam, Kevin (different Kevin), and Mark. Listen to it!

This is another in the series BFB Interviews (previously here and here) that I’ve run with various writers from different La Liga teams prior to big matches with them. This time it’s Adam Bader of Real Madrid Talk at OleOle that is on the hot seat. Let’s see how he does, shall we?

Thanks for doing this interview, Adam. Anyway, let’s get this party on the road, shall we?

Barcelona Football Blog: Let’s start with questions about finances. Since our first meeting, way back in the antiquity of 2009, there have been various new financial statistics released, including Real Madrid achieving €400m+ in revenue. Do you believe that Florentino Perez’s economic model is viable in the short term? How about the long term?

Adam Bader: It’s undeniable that Florentino Perez is a successful and smart business man and he proved that his economic model works when he first ran the club in the Zidanes y Pavons days. Short-term, his model forces us to take a lot of risks such as making expensive signings, getting huge loans from banks while the team is a work in progress and is not winning titles and therefore not bringing as much money as it should be bringing.

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This is the second installment of the series: BFB Interviews (the first was here). It is designed to broaden the horizons not only of this blogger (who needs it), but also of the blog as a whole by asking intelligent and qualified bloggers and thinkers from around the Internet to answer uneducated questions.

Before our Jornada 26 matchup with Valencia, I’ve asked fellow blogger Cesar to answer a few questions. Check out his blog over at The Offside.

Barcelona Football Blog: Thanks for doing this little interview, Cesar.

Anyway, let’s get this party on the road, shall we? Before the season began, there were lots of questions about the state of Valencia’s finances. Have most or all of those concerns been figured out? Pushed under the rug? Ignored like a giant gorilla in the room?

Cesar Benoit: Thanks, Isaiah … I’d say the money situation has been pushed under the rug, It’s something none of us VCF fans want to discuss or worry about. But we know it’s there. There’s a stadium we’re trying to get finished, creditors to satisfy and players to pay. The fans have been amazingly patient with the board, led by President Manuel Llorente and his assembled team. They’re trying to turn around the mind-bogglingly bad work of former chairman Juan Soler. It won’t be easy. The summer looms and the drama will begin again, with questions over David Villa and David Silva’s futures at the Mestalla sure to pop up again.

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This is the first installment of a new series: BFB Interviews. It is designed to broaden the horizons not only of this blogger (who needs it), but also of the blog as a whole by asking intelligent and qualified bloggers and thinkers from around the Internet to answer uneducated questions.

In preparation for our second leg Copa del Rey match at the Sanchez Pizjuan, I’ve asked fellow La Liga blogger and all-around smart guy Ryan Knapp to answer a few questions. Check out the Spanish-language blog he’s a part of called El Desmarque and his personal site here and then enjoy his responses.

Barcelona Football Blog: Sevilla obviously has the upper hand because of the result of the first leg in Barcelona, but will that result change the tactical approach? Will Sevilla park the bus, so to speak, and take their chances or will they try to compress our lines again with up-tempo defending? And if they do do the latter, do you have confidence against Barça’s A squad, assuming Guardiola opts for that approach?

Ryan Knapp: It is hard to tell what type of style they will play. The one thing that will hurt us for sure is the absence of Kanoute up front as he is playing in the ACN. We normally do play an attacking style, but we also have been having trouble with some of the smaller teams this season, which is always our MO, playing to the level of the competition.

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