Rome showdown not just about all-out attack

Alex Ferguson's "dream final" in today's Champions League showdown could be a nightmare for Barcelona if Manchester United smother the Spaniards and seal victory on the counter-attack.

Methodical football is hardly the scenario the neutrals are hoping for but Ferguson knows the best chance of United becoming the first team to retain the title in the Champions League era is to frustrate his free-scoring opponents at every turn.

They did it a year ago, shutting out Barcelona twice in a 1-0 aggregate semi-final victory, and would have taken heart from the way Chelsea kept them at bay for more than 120 minutes in the semis before Andres Iniesta's stoppage-time strike.

Ferguson admires Barcelona's approach and has shown his own commitment to exciting football by regularly starting with Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov as an attacking trio.

However, the vastly-experienced Scot knows that great teams are built from the back and the key to unlocking your own weapons is to neutralise the opponents.

"They get you on that carousel and can leave you dizzy," he said of Barcelona's mesmerising passing game.

"Your concentration levels can't be allowed to falter for a second. But, with the right tactics, their game is containable."

United's defence has been magnificent this season.

Rio Ferdinand will line up in the middle alongside Nemanja Vidic after declaring himself fit yesterday.

It is United's hard-working midfield, though, which has helped limit the rest of the Premier League to just 24 goals against them.

In the Champions League they let in only three in the group stage and another three in six knockout games against Inter, Porto and Arsenal.

The non-stop running of Park Ji-sung and the game-reading of Michael Carrick provide a first line of defence that would make any back four look good.

"The way Barcelona play, they can have the ball for a long time and you've just got to be patient, defend well and concentrate. It's quite a bit of a mental battle," said Carrick.

"Against Barcelona you shut up, as Chelsea showed, and then attack them at the right time."

United have perfected the art of sucking teams in then striking on the break, a tactic shown at its best when Ronaldo started and finished, after a lung-bursting 60-metre sprint, their marvellous third goal in the semi-final win at Arsenal.

That is exactly the sort of thing Ferguson will be looking for today, particularly as Barcelona look vulnerable at the back after the suspension of Eric Abidal and Dani Alves and the injury that has ruled out Rafael Marquez.

Manager Pep Guardiola, who rested almost all his first team for Saturday's 1-0 league defeat by Osasuna, is also sweating on the fitness of Iniesta and Thierry Henry.

Like United, Barcelona have sown up their league title with time to spare and both have also claimed a domestic cup.

But also like United, who suffer in comparison with Liverpool's European exploits, the Spaniards desperately crave the European Cup that they have won just twice in comparison with Real Madrid's nine.

They will go about that task with patience in Rome, backing their approach and looking for the relentless probing of Iniesta and Xavi to eventually prize an opening that Henry, Messi or Samuel Eto'o will be able to seize upon. Eto'o, who did play on Saturday in a bid to find his 30th league goal of the campaign, summed up the team's approach.

"We've scored 150 goals this season," he said.

"For a striker there is no better place to be than this Barcelona."

Final - Facts and figures

Head-to-head record

Played: 9.

Wins: Manchester United 3, Barcelona 2. Draws: 4.

Goals: Barcelona 15, Manchester United 14.

• Normally free-scoring Barcelona have drawn their last three CL matches, scoring only two goals.

• Barcelona have won only one of their last eight matches against English clubs and have scored just once in the last four.

• Barcelona have been matched against English sides four times in previous finals and lost only once - against Manchester United in the 1991 Cup Winners' Cup final. They beat Arsenal in the Champions League final in 2006 and overcame a London XI and Birmingham City in the 1958 and 1960 Fairs Cup finals.

• Barcelona's Lionel Messi has scored eight goals in his last 10 CL games but has yet to score against an English club in 10 matches.

• Barcelona have played 60 previous games against English teams, winning 26, losing 16 and drawing 18.

• United have kept clean sheets in their last six CL games against Spanish opponents. They have played 37 times against teams from Spain, winning 10, losing 11 and drawing 16.

• Three United team members are among only 11 players to have appeared in more than 100 CL games - Ryan Giggs (114), Paul Scholes (107) and Gary Neville (104). Barcelona's Thierry Henry has also played in 104.

• Both England and Spain have won 29 trophies in the three main European club competitions. The winning country will be the first to win 30 and also the first to win 12 European Cup or Champions League titles.