Viva La Catalonia

May 17th 2006. Stade de France, Paris. Arsenal V Barcelona. Thierry Henry against Ronaldinho. Two of the greatest footballer in modern times will be pitting their skills and will lead their team to the ultimate Holy Grail of European football. Last year Stevie G inspired his team to that incredible come back to win it for Liverpool against AC Milan….a match I didn’t watch because of a very personal reason (do I need to say why?). But come this 17th May, I am very sure I am gonna be among the millions who will be watching and enjoying, hopefully, a great game of football.

Barcelona will be going into the final as an overwhelming favourite and this is mainly caused by one man…..Ronaldinho. As poetically said by Sherie “He is one ugly motha but he is a damn good player” and trust me, coming from her that meant a lot. I also heard an interesting comment last night… “In modern football, there are 3 categories of footballer- great footballers, superstars and there is Ronaldinho”. I am not gonna argue with that. He performance for Barcelona since last season has never been less than spectacular. Week in week out he had been producing magic in the Nou Camp and all around the Primera Liga. I watched both the Barcelona-AC Milan semi final game and Ronaldinho just mesmerized everyone, even the players, with his skills, passing and coolness on the field. Somehow, I believe that we have not yet seen the best out of him and we might see that in Germany 2006. I am getting goose bumps just thinking of it.

With the elusive fourth spot in the EPL is looking rather bleak for the Gunners. The only chance for them to qualify for next season Champions’ League would be doing a “Liverpool”. Henry have yet to sign a new contract with Arsenal and everyone knows that he is stalling on the contract signing just to see if Arsenal can win the European Cup. If he ends up with the European Cup aloft his head in a couple of week time, he might still be a Gunner next season. If Ronaldinho end up checking his teeth with European Cup, Henry might probably be calling the Nou Camp as his new home next season. To be honest, that would be a perfect move for Henry and it is scary to think the combination and threat that Barca will have. Ronaldinho, Henry, Eto’o and Messi……. I don’t think anyone would bet for a nil-nil score with that kind of attacking in your team.

Anyways, we just have to wait until the summer for that usual “Is he staying, Is he going” question. For now, let’s just concentrate on the coming final in Paris. Personally, I would say Barca will win it. Arsenal may have dispatched Real Madrid and Juventus in route to the final but Barca is a totally different opposition altogether. Ronaldinho would want to end the season on a high before the World Cup and I think Eto’o would want to watch the World Cup at home with the European Cup medal around his neck. It has been a spectacular run for the Gunners but I just think they will succumb to Ronaldinho’s flair and brilliance with the predator Eto’o to open up the Gunners defence who so far have kept, 9…correct me if I am wrong, clean sheets. Lehman is in a spectacular form and totally justifying his selection as Germany’s no 1 and that last minute penalty save from Riquelme helped Arsenal to the final but Ronaldinho and co are a different opposition altogether.

Unlike Arsenal, Barca are not just depending on Ronaldinho to deliver for them. The have the likes of Eto’o for fire power, the hardworking French winger and apparently match winning goal scorer, Giuly and the apparent successor of Maradonna, Lionel Messi, to depend on. Without or by silencing Henry, Arsenal don’t really have anyone else to lead them or give them that extra magic. Arsenal had crumbled and torn apart as seen in the EPL when Henry is not playing. Again, they don’t really have a player in the same level as Ronaldinho…but then again, who is?

Well, we just have to wait till May 17th to know the new European Champion but we might see Henry in maroon and blue of Barca rather than the maroon and white of Arsenal next season.