Mind Games

So after all the mind games and newspaper articles it looks like FC Barcelona will be without the PP partnership at the back and Arsenal will have to defend their 2-1 lead without Robin Van Persie (included in the 19, but likely to be cut when the squad is reduced to 18, or not - almost as long a running saga as the Cesc transfer), Walcott and Song. As the name of the game for Arsenal is to stop Barça playing Song could be the player most missed by the Gunners. Whereas FCB did not have Piqué and Puyol at the back last year and M&M were solid enough. This time it will be Abidal and Sergio Busquets at the back. Wonder when we will see the excellent youngsters, Bartra and Fontás (Barça B and Spanish U21s) coming through?

FC Barcelona go into the game on the back of 3 convincing clean-sheet victories in Mallorca and Valencia and home to Zaragoza at the weekend. Victor Valdés returned and pulled off a vital save to stop Sinama levelling the game for the team from Aragon. It would have been a tad unjust as FCB had enjoyed 80% of possession of the ball and some of the passing was as sublime as ever. Valdés will be the only player starting for FCB who was in the starting line-up against the Arse in the 2006 Paris Final.

Arsenal have not won anything for 5 years and we do not know how badly they have been hit by that last minute cock-up against Birmingham in the League Cup Final last week. Last season Bendtner gave them a 1-0 lead, but then Messi hit them for 4 goals and that also might play on the minds of the young Arsenal team. Arsene Wenger is talking about palying a different style, but I am not sure this Arsenal team is built to do so so expect a cracking game of football.

Andrés Iniesta will become the toungest Barça player to hit the 350 game mark and at 26 he may end up catching and overtaking Xavi.

Prediction:

FCB 3-1 Arsenal