Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi look ahead to Wednesday’s Champions League Final

Less than a week remains before Europe’s best two clubs lock horns at the Stadio Olympico in the UEFA Champions League final, so the media have been activating their microphones in front of Manchester United and Barcelona players…
Everyone wants to know the thoughts of the finalists before the clash takes place on May 27.

With only one final game to be played in the English Premiership, it’s hard to predict if Ferguson will attempt to play Cristiano Ronaldo. The title has already been won by the Red Devils, but the Golden Boot Award for this term is yet to be decided – as Cristiano Ronaldo and Chelsea’s Nicolas Anelka both have 18 goals to their credit.

The race for the top scorer award might have surely crossed Ronaldo’s mind when being substituted against Manchester City a couple of weeks ago, but the 24-year-old Star winger fully assured the public that he was focused on nothing else but Manchester United’s game against Barcelona in the final of the Champions League.

Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of the Champions League final

“I am concentrating on the final, not worrying what else is going to happen with my team-mates or the coach, I am not worried about that now. It is the final the fans dream of because they have always wanted to see these two teams there.”

Indeed, the whole world was awaiting a final countdown between Barcelona and Manchester United and perhaps this wish pushed referee Tom Henning Ovrebo to rob Chelsea from their right to qualify to the final of the competition.

The final will showcase two teams with an attacking mentallity, and Cristiano Ronaldo is aware of Barcelona’s style of play and of the threat caused by all of their players and not one in particular.

“It’s clear that we are the two best teams in Europe. Not only because we are in the final but also because of the football we have played this season and for the trophies we have won.”

“It is not only Messi, also [Samuel] Eto’o, who is scoring a lot, [Thierry] Henry, Xavi, [Andres] Iniesta. You cannot just speak about one player.”

Lionel Messi ahead of the Champions League final

Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo’s rival Lionel Messi also had his own analysis ahead of the massive encounter:

“They will not play the same football as Chelsea. They have a team to play good football and it will be an open final, a great game to watch. They play similar to us and have very good attacking players on the break in Ronaldo and Tevez.”

Then breaking the barrier by mentioning Cristiano Ronaldo’s name, the young Argentine continued:

“The whole world knows Ronaldo is a very big player that changes games,”

“He can win a game on his own at any moment.

However, Messi – who insists that the game of football showcases a battle between two teams and not two players – declared:

“But I think and I hope the best team wins. I don’t think individual prizes are what matters. For me the important thing is that the team wins.”

Written by: Angela Asante

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