Champions League Final Team News
21st May, 2008
The day has arrived! The biggest game in English club football history is just hours away...
At 7.45 this evening, Chelsea and Manchester United will kick off in the Champions League Final. It is the first time two English teams will face each other in the Champions League Final, with more than just a trophy at stake.
Read our Champions League Final betting preview and odds article by clicking the link.
Team News:
There was plenty of drama in the final training sessions yesterday with the back pages covered in the news. Both Chelsea and Manchester United have fresh worries.
Chelsea will give a late fitness test to Ashley Cole, who was the victim of a reckless challenge from teammate Claude Makelele. The defensive-midfielder made a poor two-footed tackle on the left-back and injured his ankle. Cole received 15 minutes of treatment and was clearly in some pain, but looked fairly comfortable walking out of the stadium later in the day.
Manchester United insist Nemanja Vidic will play, despite missing the training session yesterday. Little is known about the specific injury, but the chances are both players will start the game today.
Most the both squads will remain the same as through most of the season, with question marks over where Ronaldo will play and whether Hargreaves or Tevez will start. Chelsea are expected to stick to their proven 4-5-1 formation, with Makelele, Lampard and Ballack controlling the midfield.
Full squads available:
Man Utd: Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Heaton; Brown, Evra, Ferdinand, Vidic, Neville, O'Shea, Pique, Silvestre, Anderson, Fletcher, Hargreaves, Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Nani, Park, Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez, Saha, Welbeck.
Chelsea squad: Cech, Hilario, Cudicini, Belletti, Ferreira, Alex, Ben-Haim, Terry, Carvalho, A Cole, Bridge, Makelele, Essien, Lampard, Ballack, Kalou, Wright-Phillips, J Cole, Malouda, Drogba, Shevchenko, Anelka, Mikel.
By Chris M
