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What we have for today is probably one of the most interesting and anticipated Champions League final. This stage has been reached by probably the best two teams in Europe this year. Barcelona and Manchester United will meet tonight at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome and, even if these finals are generally boring games - the stakes are high and nobody is willing to take chances - we do think things will be different tonight. Both teams are extremely offensive, so we can expect great football.

Barca has managed to become once again one of Europe’s great teams, but two European trophies are not much for such a team. Josep Guardiola started managing Barca at the start of this season, replacing Frank Rijkaard, that had a pretty modest season last year. The first thing Guardiola did was to get rid of Ronaldinho and Deco - two key players, and to replace them with youngsters. Even if few believed in him, Guardiola has made a name for himself at Barca and the team started playing better and better. With an offensive trio made of Henry, Eto’o and Messi, helped by midfielders Xavi, Iniesta and Yaya Toure, Barcelona dominated almost all of the games it played this year. Their attack is is by far one of the best in the last few years - they’ve scored 30 times in 12 games in the Champions League.

Guardiola has announced that Barcelona will attack in the final, which doesn’t surprise anyone - the Catalans can only play offensive football, their strong point.

Barca has some team problems - Iniesta and Henry have been plagued by injuries, but they have had enough time to recover, so we can expect to see them tonight. The back line has big problems, though. Abidal and Dani Alves are suspended, and Marques and Milito are injured, so we’ll see an improvised defense - Puyol and Sylvinho will probably be on the flanks, while the center will be covered by Pique and Yaya Toure.

Barcelona will do their best to win this one and to be the first Barca team to ever win 3 trophies in one year - they’ve already won the Primera Division title and the Copa del Rey without any issues.

Scottish manager Alex Ferguson is responsible for Manchester’s great run lately, and the two Champions League trophies he has won with Manchester say a lot. He said that he wants a third one and the way they play allows him to be realistic when he says that. More than that, Manchester United have the chance of being the first team that defends its trophy in the modern Champions League - nobody has managed to do that before. With the title and the Carling Cup already in their pocket, Manchester United aims a third trophy this year. Still, it will be harder than it was in the previous games, when they’ve easily went through Arsenal and Porto - Barcelona is one of the best teams of the moment.

Manchester’s problem won’t be scoring, as Barca’s defence isn’t a great one. It will be tough for them not to concede from a very offensive Barcelona.

It seems that Rio Ferdinand will be back for this game after being unavailable for the last four games and we expect him to be given a lot of work to do by Barca’s attack.

We expect a fascinating encounter, probably one of the best Champions League finals so far and, considering both teams’ offensive appetite and the fact that they are close in terms of value, we suggest a goal bet.
Tip: 1 - Over 2.5 goals

Stakes: 6/10

Odds: 2.10 at Bet365

We’re back with a very interesting game. It’s the last curtain call for the UEFA Cup; starting next year, Europa League comes on stage. Tonight is the last ever final of the UEFA Cup, in Istanbul, on the Sukru Saracoglu stadium, between Shakhtar Donetsk and Werder Bremen.

Shakhtar has reached this stage by eliminating important teams, like Tottenham, CSKA Moscow and Marseille, all starting as favourites against the Donetsk miners. This great run by Mircea Lucescu’s team is not due to chance, as the Ukrainian football has shown great improvement lately - they had three teams in the UEFA Cup’s round of 16 and, also, a Ukrainian semifinal that opposed Shakhtar and Dynamo Kyiv.

Billionaire Rinat Akhmetov’s team was the one that ended the Kyiv team’s supremacy in the league, after a string of massive investments and after bringing experienced Romanian manager Mircea Lucescu to the club. This wasn’t a good year for Shakhtar in the league, but the excellent run in the UEFA Cup brought the club glory and tonight they can become the first and, at the same time, the last team to win the UEFA Cup.

Lucescu doesn’t have any injury issues - the only player missing is Tomas Hubschmann, suspended. We expect a game that will be based on Shakhtar’s iron defense that they’ve shown in the UEFA, as well as letal counter-attacks.

Werder also had a pretty bad season in the league, just like the Ukrainians had, and only their good European cup run saved them from a completeley missed season. Werder sent strong teams like Milan, St. Etienne and Udinese out of the uEFA Cup and they’ve also eliminated their fellow countrymen Hamburg in the semifinals, after two crazy games.

Thomas Schaaf’s big problem is Diego. The fact that he is suspended is is a serious issue for Werder. Not only is he their playmaker, but he is also one of their top goalscorers and his imminent transfer to Juventus only show his class.

As if that wasn’t enough, Thomas Schaaf has other numerous team problems - Jensen and Mertesacker can’t play, Naldo, Pizzaro and Marcus Rosenberg are uncertain and Hugo Almeida is suspended, so it will be quite hard for them without so many first-eleven players.

Still, this will be an interesting game, between two teams that are close in terms of their value. We see Shakhtar as the winner, since they seem to be more in-form, and let’s not forget about Werder’s huge injury and suspension list, that will certainly affect their game. This IS a cup final, so don’t bet all your money on it, as these games are always extremely unpredictable.

Tip: 1 - Home Win

Stakes: 6/10

Odds: 2.70 at Bet365

A very strong clash we have for you today, opposing two German title candidates - Wolfsburg, the current leaders and Dortmund - 5th place, 5 points away from Wolfsburg.

Wolfsburg seems to be losing speed, as they’ve lost a 5-point advance in the last 3 games, but they’re still leaders. Manager Magath will be leaving for Schalke 04 this summer, but we’re sure he wants to go away in style, with a title, the first one in Wolfsburg’s history.

Their big problems lie in their injured playmakers - Misimovic and Richter are not available and this could be seen in the last game, when they lost by an incredible 4-1 at Stuttgart.

Even so, Wolfsburg are still unbeaten at home and they will try to get their 15th victory of the season at Volkswagen Arena. Their letal attacking couple is their strength - Grafite and Dzeko have already scored 23 and, respectively, 20 goals this season. Karimow, Alex, Hasebe, Platins, Kreules, Evijuskin, Hill and Reiche are still injured, so the Wolves will have to do without them.

Dortmund comes after a great string of results - they’ve won seven conseuctive games and their playing looks better and better. This is why they’re now in 5th place and, if they win today, they’re right into the title clash.

Borussia have destroyed Karlsruher in the last game, the 4-0 win being a very deserved one. Manager Klopp has succeeded in getting his point through and this can be seen in their game, but also in the fact that they’ve scored 17 times in these last 7 games and only conceded two goals.

It will be difficult for them - Wolfsburg really needs the 3 points and, even if past results are on Borussia’s side, they haven’t managed to beat Wolfsburg in the last two years.

Wolfsburg will do their best to win their first league champions title in their history, so they’ll have to prove that they deserve it today and in the last two games, but Borussia have their chance, too, considering their excellent form. So the perfect bet would probably be a goal bet.

Tip: Over 2.5 goals

Stakes: 6/10

Odds: 1.60 at Interwetten

Actual result: 3-0 (won)