Published 5/27/2011 7:19:43 AM by Shane Barrow from soccermogul

This is the match we all were waiting for.  Big v Big at Wembley.  All the stars will be out for the rematch from the 2009 Final.  This time Manchester United hopes to turn the table after the Barcelona win in 2009.  It will be the Champions League top defense in Manchester United playing in front of an English crowd in London against the Champions League top offense in Barcelona.  The old saying goes defense wins championships, but can this offense led by Lionel Messi be slowed?

On paper, it is very hard to separate the two, although Manchester are the only unbeaten side in the Champions League this season, with nine wins and three draws. Sir Alex Ferguson is bidding to become the most decorated manager in the competition's history, but has a tough choice ahead of him over how he will set his side up. In European games, Fergie has preferred to use the industry of Park Ji-Sung on the flanks, but that means a place on the bench for either Nani or Antonio Valencia. In central midfield, too, the boss must make a tough choice to leave out Anderson, Paul Scholes or Michael Carrick as he prefers a central role for Ryan Giggs. Chances are that Fergie will opt for the same team that beat Schalke 2-0 in the semifinal first leg and, with supposed 'home' advantage.

Barcelona's previous visit to Wembley, in 1992, saw a late-gasp defeat of Sampdoria to win their first European Cup, but their only defeat in the Champions League this season was in London, when they lost 2-1 at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium last February.  There is no secret as to how they will set up. Their 4-1-2-3 system, playing possession football, is revered around the world and the stats are impressive. Barca are the only side to have completed more than 90% of passes in the Champions League this season, whilst Xavi and Sergio Busquets are the only players to have completed more than 1,000 passes (1,103 and 1,035 respectively).

In terms of team selection, the only question mark for coach Pep Guardiola comes in the left-back role. Guardiola must decide whether to bring Eric Abidal back into the fray after surgery on a liver tumour, but may worry that he is not yet ready for a game of such magnitude. The other option available is that Carles Puyol moves to the flank and defensive midfielder Javier Mascherano resumes the position he took up against Real Madrid in the center of defense.

Mascherano's inclusion would seem a gamble given the current form of United striker Javier Hernandez (in stark contrast to Dimitar Berbatov who has failed to score in his last 1134 minutes of action in the Champions League), but the battle for supremacy in European football could hinge on it.

Manchester United player to watch: Edwin Van der Sar. The last time the Dutchman will ever pull on a United shirt could be the greatest moment of his career, or one of the worst. A truly great goalkeeper, Van der Sar's agility and bravery mark him out above his peers but it is his consistency that makes him such a prized asset and he has the best saves-to-shots ratio in the competition this season, having saved 31 of 35 shots faced. Also becoming the first goalkeeper ever to keep 50 clean sheets in the Champions League, he has been a rock at the back for United as they have embarked on an incredible defensive run, but he will have to be at his commanding best if he is to keep the magical Messi quiet and seal his place in record books as the oldest player to win the trophy.

Barcelona player to watch: Andres Iniesta. In 2009, it was Iniesta who took the plaudits for a dominant performance in the middle of midfield and, since then, he has continued to improve - including netting the winning goal in the World Cup final. Not the biggest of central midfielders, he uses his body exceptionally well and can be a tough customer to knock off the ball, but it is his vision and passing skills that make him such a dangerous opponent. As he has shown this year already he can step up on the big occasion and will be a vital player in Barcelona's passing game. He could be the man unlock the miserly United defense.

Key battle: Nemanja Vidic v Lionel Messi. The Premier League's best defender by a long shot, Vidic has oozed confidence this season and when he is partnered with Rio Ferdinand, United look unbeatable. The Serbian's power, pace and reading of the game mean that Barcelona will find a tough obstacle in their way, but they have the world's best player to help them break down the wall. Messi, playing as a 'false nine' will not be giving Vidic his usual test of aerial and physical challenges, and instead will drop deep and run at his man with the ball at his feet. The Argentine can be unstoppable on his day - although he has never scored on English soil in the Champions League - and the United defense will be keen to avoid a repeat of the 2009 final, when he scored a rare header.

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