Why I Hope Nobody Wins The Champions League Final

Sergei Miledin by Analyst Written on May 27, 2009
ROME - MAY 26:  A giant football is pictured in front St. Peter's Basilica ahead of the UEFA Champions League Final between Barcelona and and Manchester United at the Stadio Olimpico on May 26, 2009 in Rome, Italy.  (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images) (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images)

Never did I think I would watch a meaningful game in any major sport with the hope of no victor. This potential situation has finally arrived in the form of Manchester United and Barcelona. The two football giants meet on Wednesday in Rome for the right to claim Europe's highest club football honor.

Unfortunately for me and some others, this will be the most dreadful match to watch since I have no care for either side and, in fact, I hate them both.

Being a fan of the EPL I have gotten to know United over the past couple of years. Everything from their players, to their colorful cheerleader coach, to their "we deserve everything" fans.

While the media throw around the term "best team ever" whenever the words football and Manchester United are uttered, I shake my head in despair. Nowadays it seems they win a trophy every week, while making their opponents look like children.

The image and aftermath is pretty predictable—it's the same faces and same quotes from the players and Fergie. Something to the affect of "well, we clearly played better today" or "it's a great day to be associated with Manchester United," is guaranteed any time a trophy gets within five feet of the Mancs.

Now as they close in on winning a second straight UCL trophy, there could be no better time for them to lose all the momentum that saw them clinch their third straight league crown 11 days ago.

What stands in their way is another miserable team whose passing game mesmerizes opposition while never quite challenging them. It is none other than Barcelona, or Barca as they are known to many around the world.

Here is a team that has already won the league and league cup in Spain, but whose game becomes comical when facing opposition in Europe. This was proved last time out, when they mustered one shot on goal in 90 minutes against Chelsea. If that goal had never happened this article would be slightly more positive, but I digress.

Their fancy-shmancy footwork is truly remarkable, but the fact it took them 180 mins to score against Chelsea, who had allowed 12 goals going into leg two of the semifinal is quite absurd.

Not to take anything away from the boys in blue, but to think that one team in the final got in by the skin of their teeth, not to mention a Norwegian referee with an apparent love for the Spanish, makes me sick.

The final is supposed to be the best of the best, not the luckier team who played like they wanted the UEFA Cup. Maybe I am being a bit irrational. Maybe the fact I have watched United lift more trophies than a certain blue team from London has in recent memory is part of this.

Maybe I can't get over Barcelona coming off life-support to book their ticket to Rome. Maybe I am still not over what transpired in Moscow over a year ago.

Maybe I should just suck it up and root for a good game. However, I can't and I won't. Maybe Michel Platini will read this by kick-off and scrap the whole thing.

Or maybe Arsenal and Chelsea will be invited back to face the winner, to establish the real champion once the first game is done. Whatever the case will be, here's hoping that it ends 0-0 with no one being able to make a penalty.

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written on May 27, 2009 Opinion

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