New Delhi: They have the pedigree and experience and the pundits of the game are already touting them as the winners of the May 28 showdown. But the Spanish Champions know that the final affair against Manchester will definitely not be a walk in the park. Here are some of the players that are tailor-made for an occasion like this and can do what everyone is expecting them of doing.
David Villa: Though not at his best this season, the 29-year-old Spanish international might just be waiting for an occasion like the Champions League final to regain his magical touch he has been so famous for. Having changed his club base from Mestalla to Camp Nou at the beginning of the season, Villa has been pivotal in Pep Guardiola's scheme of things throughout the year. And as the opposition is planning to frame a strategy to pin down Messi, it's Villa who could get the maximum out of the situation. He could well become the team's main man, if Messi finds it hard to break the shackles. Time and again, he has charmed one and all with his precision at finding the net and it's just the success he has been acclaimed in international games that he will have to replicate in what could be the biggest match he has played since the World Cup final last year.
Andres Iniesta: Can anyone forget the goals he scored in the 2010 World Cup final and in the second leg of the team's clash with Real Marid at the Camp Nou? He doesn't need much to motivate himself whether he dons his national colour or the jersey of his club. His accuracy at making passes and creating opportunities for his fellow teammates make him arguably the best playmaker in Europe. Though he doesn't carry a big frame like some of his contemporaries, his ball-dribbling skills and ability to create space for him in the midfield is incomparable. He could be a man who could make the difference, along with the one and only Messi, on May 28 evening.
Xavi Hernández: Being the player of the tournament in Euro 2008 and having played a leading role in national team's success at the last year's FIFA World Cup, Xabi is as important a player one could find in the Barcelona squad. It's just not hard but also impossible to distinguish the determination which the 31-year-old brings when he either plays for his club or the national side. His commitment towards his club makes him one of the sought after player in that part of Europe. His smooth touch to the ball is soothing to eyes and seldom has he disappointed his manager and fans with his performance. He makes one of the most potent mid-field forces, along with Iniesta and Daniel Alves, in European club football and it wouldn't be surprising if he takes his side to the Champions League triumph, just like he has done time and time again for Spain.
Carles Puyol: Having missed most part of the season due to an injury, Puyol is still a force to reckon with when it comes to defending the net with Eric Abidal and Alves. Commitment to represent his club not only reflects but also overflows from the face of this 33-year-old. At one moment you would see him heading the ball on the corner taken in the opposition's 18-yard box and the next moment he would be seen defending the ball in the same position in his half. He is also one of the fittest members of Barca squad and could well be the man who would lift the glimmering Champions League trophy at the Wembley on May 28.
Lionel Messi: Whatever adjectives you put before the name of this 23-year-old Argentine, it proves of little significance as, the way he plays the game is way beyond what someone can describe in words. Just 23 and being already touted as the best-ever player to take the field speaks for itself in favour of this magnificent player. Whether it's controlling the ball or giving accurate passes, moving forward or foxing opponents with alacrity, Messi is the best in all the departments. He is such a fearsome force that Sir Alex has been making strategies to stop the Argentine for the last two years, ever since they lost the final encounter played between the two sides at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy in 2009. Messi scored a defining goal that night and was unstoppable throughout his presence on the field. Even now, he could well be the difference between the two sides as far as winning and losing are concerned and everyone will be waiting in anticipation to see how this mesmerising player captivates the world on May 28.
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