So the draw’s over and sweet mercy, I’m even more excited than before! Tons to talk about: Which giant is most likely to fall? Will Onyewu be ready to play 90 mins of top-level ball against England? Who will help Messi on Argentina? Who’s a better left back for Brazil, Fabio Aurelio, Cicinho or-gasp!-the dinosaur Roberto Carlos?


One subject that seems appropriate right now is how closely we should watch the African Cup of Nations. The African teams that will be playing in the WC will have a excellent opportunity to refine their lineups, rotations, and tactics at a high level of competition. Fortunately for them (but unfortunately for their European employers and the national federations’ insurance companies), I’d expect more than a few of the big teams to man the torpedoes and go all in to win the tournament, since there really is no substitute for the competitive pressure that comes in a tournament game. No friendly Portugal can play would prepare them for the fire of WC competition that their opening game counterpart Cote D’Ivoire (let’s see pics of that Puma jersey, Pab!) will have had by going hard in the Cup of Nations. That said, who’s the Cup of Nations favorite?


I’d also like to formally announce my conspiracy theory here: I don’t like the idea of Landon Donovan playing for Everton this winter/spring. I think some Englishman nobody cares about is going to try to be the Cornwallis of his generation and take him out. There’s always a huge marquee injury that occurs right before the World Cup (see Cisse, Rooney, and Owen, to name only a few), and I just don’t like this move. If I’m pressed, I’d say that the most likely person to do the dirty job would be Lee Bowyer, that asshole. Honorable mentions go to Kevin Davies, Gareth Barry and Nigel Reo-Coker. So watch out, Landon.


While I expect a number of players to rotate on this list, I think one of the breakout players this year will be Guillermo Ochoa, the emaciated and acrobatic Mexican GK. He’s got all the right moves, and while he may not be the primary reason why Mexico go through to the second round, he’ll be the primary reason why they will win a game in the knockout round. He’ll organize the defense, distribute the ball, and use his excellent reflexes to great effect, and his reward after the tournament will be a fat contract to play for Mallorca or somebody in La Liga and the requisite following of supermodels.


Man, this Jabulani fire is hot! What are you boys thinking? Dreaming about vuvuzelas? Haunted by Argentina’s inconsistency? Or just coveting one of those sweet Greece shirts?


Yours in footballing madness,
Aaron

bright eyes bushy tail
and all while the prairie shrinks
your instincts endure

bottomless talent
the only word to describe?
sagittarian

Also American viewers, thanks to the contemptible behavior of our ESPN footy overlords you’ll need to watch the game on ESPN Deportes if you can find it. I’d recommend Latino bars and restaurants. I’ve got one in Baltimore I’m planning to go to (Carlos O’Charlies on Eastern Ave, a great joint) and I’ll sure be drinking some refreshing and delectable micheladas. But you’re not here for restaurant tips, so enough about that.

Predictions

This game will probably start a bit slowly. We’ll probably see possession bogged down in midfield and our share of back-passes as the teams feel each other out and start looking for the soft underbelly of the respective defenses. After 20 minutes, we’ll start seeing some real chances, and at the 34th minute Xavi, Messi, and Eto’o will combine on a goal to push Barca in front.

A few minutes later, Van Bommel will pick up a yellow card.

Just before half, Bayern’s left back Lahm will go forward and pick out a cross the ball will settle nicely for old hand Ze Roberto who will smash it past Victor Valdes to tie the score right before the teams enter the dressing room for halftime.

Shortly after half Barca will find another goal, this time coming from the other side and combination play from Iniesta and Henry.

Around the 60-65th, Bayern will remove Van Bommel to protect him from more bookings, and bring on Tim Borowski, and Barca will take off Rafa Marquez for Gerard Piqué.

After a half mostly filled with end-to-end play, around the 75th minute Barca will get another goal, this time afer their own left back Dani Alves gets involved going forward and working with Xavi and Messi.

At this point, Barca will remove Iniesta for Sergio Busquets

As the game reaches it’s conclusion, Bayern will earn a corner and get players forward. I predict Bayern to score the game’s final goal on a set piece, and then the match will conclude. Two end of half goals to save Bayern’s bacon heading back for the second leg, and good flowing attack from Barca. A man can dream the impossible dream, yes?

Final score of game 1: 3-2 to the boys from Barcelona.

I can’t wait for tomorrow. It should be some terrific and compelling ball. Feel free to look back over the Ultimate preview using the links below, and of course you can disagree/call me a jackass in the comments should you want to raise some hell, and I’ll see you back here for wrap-up after the game’s all over!

• Wednesday - Storylines
• Thursday - Goalkeepers
• Friday - Defenders
• Monday - Midfielders
• Tuesday - Forwards
• Wednesday - Substitutes/Miscellany
• Thursday Monday - Managers/Tactics
• Friday Tuesday - Betyourmortgage™ Prediction

Anyway, today we’re talking strategy.

How Bayern can win:

Defensively, Bayern Munich should do all they can to force Leo Messi and Theirry Henry wide into the corners and wings. Obviously other teams try this and Messi and Henry dribble and pass their way out, but Bayern might have the quality to do this successfully if they have the commitment. This will helps central defenders Lúcio and Martin Demichelis play to their strengths as zone defenders by muscling attackers out of dangerous positions in the box and winning crosses in the air.

It would be extremely interesting if Jürgen Klinsmann decide to have his wing midfielders Franck Ribéry and Bastian Schweinsteiger switch sides. Doing so would allow Ribéry to work against Éric Abidal and Rafa Marquez, who are both decidedly slower and less-skilled than the defenders on the opposite side, Dani Alves and Carles Puyol. Franck would have fewer defensive responsibilities since the threat of attack from that side of Barca’s defense isn’t as strong.

In a similar vein Klinnsman may want to flip his central midfielders so that Mark Van Bommel, Bayern’s captain—who will most likely have a defensive assignment in this tie—lines up opposite Xavi so the München man can keep a closer eye on his former teammate.

Also, if Luca Toni isn’t full strength, Bayern may want to consider lining up with a 4-5-1 formation, perhaps adding a midfielder like Tim Borowski or even central defender Daniel Van Buyten playing slightly ahead of the defense as a very conservative holding midfielder. Doing so would congest the middle of the field on the defensive end and could frustrate the Barca attack. While Lukas Podolski wouldn’t be the ideal lone striker up top, Luca Toni could very well be, if healthy. if Bayern were able to attack by throwing some midfielders forward to try to produce chances it could make up for this.

As stated previously, manager Klinsmann isn’t much of a tinkerer, so I wouldn’t expect anything drastic provided everyone is fit. But a switch of Ribéry and Schweinsteiger may be the kind of button that he could push and receive a payoff.

How Barca can win:

For Barcelona’s defending, the key will be to try to win back possession in Bayern’s half or in the midfield. If they can continue to have success at this as they have throughout the season, they should be able to keep a lot of pressure on the Bayern defenders and force an error with this type of scrutiny. If they can shift some of the responsibility of defense from the defenders to the midfielders and even attackers tracking back, Barcelona will have more opportunities to force its will on Bayern and play their own style. Also, though I counted on Rafa Marquez starting for the Catalans, Pep Guardiola may want to start Gerard Piqué, who has been in sensational for the Spanish national team in their recent contests.

In the midfield, Barca will want to ensure that it controls possession and be sure to neutralize Bayern’s ageless Ze Roberto and the winger Schweinsteiger. Franck Ribéry will have his success against Barca, but they should be willing to except strong play from Ribéry provided they aren’t letting Bayern’s peripheral midfielders have too much influence. In that vein Barca make want to have central midfielder Yaya Touré challenge Mark Van Bommel on the offensive end, as MVB will have his hands full with Xavi and Ze Roberto may not have the defensive chops to take on the stronger Yaya.

In the attack Barca will want to try to give Eto’o, Henry, and Messi the ball on timing runs so they can take advantage of Bayern’s center backs, who can be shaky when the ball is played into space. If they start getting service behind the Bayern defensive line, they can get great chances on the run. If Barcelona can find a way to beat the offside trap and receive the ball behind open space, it could be goals galore for the Catalans.

Don’t worry folks, tomorrow the Tigerblog will be bringing the noise with the preview, coming to you live from Avon, NC.

• Wednesday - Storylines
• Thursday - Goalkeepers
• Friday - Defenders
• Monday - Midfielders
• Tuesday - Forwards
• Wednesday - Substitutes/Miscellany
• Thursday Monday - Managers/Tactics
• Friday Tuesday - Betyourmortgage™ Prediction

Having completed the starting XI, the Ultimate Preview shifts it’s focus to the special group of players who may be scratching their noses one minute and the next minute entering one of the biggest stages in the world. Again, at this moment there are injury questions for each side, but I expect many of the regular starters to give it a go. Anyone with any knowledge or speculation otherwise is encouraged to hit up the comments section. Following the subs preview, some other odds and ends that may be of interest.

Substitutes

For Barcelona, manager Pep Guardiola has a handful of players that he has used outside his core of starters this season, with some having more success than others. As you’ll see, many are new to the Catalan club and in some cases, they haven’t adapted to the club’s signature style just yet, and as such, may not be at the tip of Guardiola’s tongue when he’s calling in substitutes.

Old Tigerblog favorite (and ex-Lens man) Seydou Keita is one of these new boys, and he’s adapted fairly well. As he played such a role at RC Lens, many thought that he would be a more defensive player at the Camp Nou. In fact he has adapted to Barcelona’s mercurial passing attack very well, and this season he has displayed an eye for goal that few foresaw him having. This leaves him as a very well-rounded midfielder that tends to play with a good understanding of his teammates, positioning and role. While not in the class of Barcelona’s midfield antelope Yaya Touré, we should expect to see the Mali international come on if Touré picks up a booking or as a substitute for one of the Barcelona forward players Eto’o, Messi, or Henry (along with a formation change) if they are looking to protect a lead in either match.

The other defensive midfielder in the Barcelona stable is the young’un Sergio Busquets. Having risen quickly through the Barcelona system, Busquets has gained the trust of coach Guardiola and we very well may see him in this massive tie. More of a defensive player, Busquets is not afraid to mix it up and will no doubt be seen scrapping with Bayern midfielders and giving them little space. He’s an intriguing player, and I bet Guardiola will be looking to find a way to use him. At some point he may be called on to spell Xavi, Iniesta, Henry, or Messi. If Barca need to play defensively, look for him to come in and it should not be a surprise at all if he gives the Bavarians hell with his disruptive play.

Joining Keita on the bench is Eiður Guðjohnsen. In his third season with the club, the Icelandic ace’s best days are probably behind him but Guðjohnsen’s has experience in big games. He plays with a decent understanding of Barca’s attacking flow although he doesn’t seem to have the absolute skill to make the perfect pass each time. Similarly, converting chances at goal is a bit of a crapshoot for him, as he tends to rush shots and miss finishes. On the otherhand, he does have good size and can keep possession pretty well. Guardiola is probably secretly hoping that he doesn’t have to deploy Eiður, but look for him to come on late in either match if Barca are looking for goals.

Guardiola can also turn to the young Bojan Krkić if he’s looking for an attacking edge. Bojan has been pegged as an ascending star for Barcelona and Spain, but his progression through the Barca pecking order hasn’t been as quick as many expected, and this season he has shown both brilliance and mediocrity in his appearances for the Barca boys. Bayern’s physicality may preclude Bojan from making an appearance, but if Henry or Iniesta are getting manhandled or Messi gets hurt, look for the speedy Bojan to come in. Also, if Barca have a lead that they are comfortable with, look for Bojan to come on to spell one of the estrellas and try to add to the lead.

In defense, Barca will have a choice between young Spaniard Gerard Piqué and Brazilian silver fox Sylvinho. Piqué has been getting more opportunities and could even start next to Puyol (this would be more likely, depending on circumstances, in the 2nd leg). He has good height, though he hasn’t quite figured out how to use it. Like fellow young buck Busquets, I think it’s likely Guardiola will be looking to find a way to get him in the game, so I’d expect him to come on for Rafa Marquez in the first game, particularly if Rafa gets a card. The wingback Sylvinho may be called on to replace Éric Abidal if Abidal is winded or if Guardiola spots a opportunity for him on that side of the pitch.

As we discussed yesterday, usual substitute Lukas Podolski will most likely get the start for the injured Miro Klose, so München’s bench depth will not be what we’ve seen for most of the year, though there still are some strong players on the Bayern bench that will probably appear.

Tigerblog favorite Hamit Altintop was selected to the Euro 2008 Team of the Tournament as a fullback, the only player selected from Turkey’s surprising squad. For Bayern he usually plays on the wing as a midfielder, and is both adept on the dribble and generating dangerous crosses. While I’m of the opinion that he should be in the starting XI over Bastian Schweinsteiger, he has not done enough in the eyes of the coaches to completely displace Der Schweini. This, coupled with the fact that he has been fighting injuries all season, have not given him the chance to jell with the Bayern starters. While he rarely appears as a fullback for Bayern, Bayern manager Jürgen Klinsmann may realize that he could pose trouble to the Barcelona left side and could replace Oddo at right back if Bayern want a more attacking edge. It’s more likely that he would come on for Schweinsteiger even though Bastian usually plays 90 minutes. If Bastian needs to come out to to booking or injury, Hamit will be the man to replace him.

Christian Lell is a wingback who brings great energy and agility to the Bayern side. He doesn’t have the strength that former Bayern kinder-wingback Marcel Jansen had, nor is he as technically sound with possession as Massimo Oddo, but he could be useful in this tie. I could see him fighting tooth and nail with Thierry Henry or Sammy Eto’o, but I could also see him getting caught out and punished, too. It says here that he’ll definitely appear in this tie, and as stated earlier, I fully expect him to get a booking. The question is when he’s in, will he play to his strengths or try to do too much and pay for it?

A big question mark for the München faithful will be whether the engimatic Argentine José Ernesto Sosa will play and how effective he’ll be. Bayern expected him to be the second coming of former favorite Claudio Pizarro, but like Bojan Krkić for Barca, his maturation hasn’t been has fast as many would have liked. He’s been playing better of late and scored a few goals, so Klinsmann may be curious enough to put him in. If Podolski is ineffective he may get the hook in favor of Sosa, and similarly, if not-quite-fit Luca Toni needs a break, Sosa may get his chance on the big stage.

The tallest player in the matchup is the big Belgian Daniel Van Buyten. Van Buyten is a quality centerback that could probably start for most clubs, but his inconsistency keeps him on the bench in Munich. If Bayern really wanted to get defensive, they could put him in as a defensive midfielder. If he is in, look for him to be active on corners and set pieces, as he is an effective header of the ball and could give the Catalans matchup problems.

Two others who may factor in for Bayern are Tim Borowski and Andreas Ottl. Borowski has been effective since his summer move from Werder Bremen, and if Bayern need to replace captain Van Bommel with a similar field-general type of player with more of an attacking presence, it could very well be Borowski, who has a good sense of positioning and a knack for being in the right place at the right time. This of course may be more likely given Van Bommel’s propensity for bookings. Ottl is a more defensive midfield type of player who could also play fullback, but Klinsmann would probably only use him at last resort.

Uniforms

Of course these respective choices may very well mean the difference between victory and defeat, hence they are necessary to discuss.

My guess is that at the Camp Nou Barcelona will be wearing the famous Blaugrana, which will force Bayern to wear their whites.

When they play in Germany, Bayern will revert to their familiar red and white hoops while Barca will probably wear their yellows. I suppose there’s a chance they wear their jarring aquamarine kits, but the feeling here is that it’s the yellows.

Stadiums

Both the Nou Camp and Allianz will be packed, and both will be crazy.

WAGs

After painstaking WAG research, we’re of the opinion that the greatest of the WAGz in this contest is Bastian Schweinsteiger’s GF Sara Brandner.

o_O

Well that does it for subs. Tomorrow we’ll be back for a tactical breakdown as the preview keeps a-rolling.

• Wednesday - Storylines
• Thursday - Goalkeepers
• Friday - Defenders
• Monday - Midfielders
• Tuesday - Forwards
• Wednesday - Substitutes/Miscellany
• Thursday Monday - Managers/Tactics
• Friday Tuesday - Betyourmortgage™ Prediction

Luckily for all of us, the forwards involved in this matchup are some of the deadliest offensive players in world football, even though Bayern’s terrific creative forward Miroslav Klose will miss the tie to injury.

Barcelona’s Cerberean forward lineup features men from three continents united under the Blaugrana banner. They have been a revelation this season, playing staggeringly beautiful and precise ball. And they’ve also scored a crapload of goals. Up front, they’ll look like this:

Henry—Eto’o—Messi

What can anyone really say to describe Lionel Messi? To put it simply, he’s the best footballer playing today. His touch is generally flawless, his anticipation is psychic, and these qualities combined with his split-second decisiveness and masterful body control make him the ultimate offensive weapon. Once the Argentine eludes defenders, his finishing ability is careful and precise. Nevermind capitalism: Messi is creative destruction. When he has the ball, watch him turn 90 and 180 degrees with ease. Defenders will be clawing to keep up. Leo will work his one-touch passes with his teammates and they’ll return it to him, and he’ll collect it and continue his attack. He’ll take his share of punishment from defenders, and while the more physical ones tend to have some measure of effect on him, outmuscling Messi is neither an easy nor conclusive way to stop him over the course of 90 minutes, or two games for that matter. Wow, it’s going to be fun to watch him.

On the left side is the eldest of the bunch, Frenchman Theirry Henry. After taking a while to get acclimated to the Barcelona style after an emotionally fraught departure from Arsenal, Henry has succesfully reinvented himself and become the influential presence that Barca had hoped he would be when they first acquired him. Titi has always had a knack for playing well in open space; when he finds himself alone with one or two men to beat, he uses his speed and body control to either create space for a strike at goal or feint defenders and run past them, always with a knowing, cool finish past the goalkeeper. For Barca, he’s adapted to their quick style and the constant movement around him by improving his own passing and refining his style to fit his position on the wing. He’s a better header of the ball now than he was earlier in his career. Henry is always looking to out-think defenders, so look for him to try to sneak around the big ox Lúcio as he tries to find space.

In the middle for Barca is Cameroon’s own Samuel Eto’o. While not as gifted a dribbler as Messi and Henry, Eto’o is pure power and quickness in front of the goal. He doesn’t need to be a good dribbler since the part of the field where he operates usually doesn’t reward dribblers. He has a brilliant knack for putting himself in passing lanes for his teammates, who feed him the ball and either find it passed along in very quick order or better yet, in the back of the net. While defenders get preoccupied watching Messi, Xavi and Henry, Eto’o finds space to receive the ball and punish defenders. You can practically hear the whistle of his powerful shots on TV. We can only guess what they sound like on the field.

For München, the loss of Klose is unfortunate, but they’re not without hope. The strike pair that they do have is capable of causing havoc and scoring goals and they’ll get their chance to do so. They’ll line up like this:

Podolski—Toni

Provided his recovery from an ailing heel continues, we will see Luca Toni on the pitch for Bayern. While certainly not the most popular player, Munich’s big Italian has a terrific soft touch on the ball that belies his height and his great strength. While he was a bit of a diver when he first entered the Bundesliga, Toni stopped getting the calls and started to toughen up and play through it. This has improved his play, as Toni’s balance and strength are better than they’ve ever been, and while he may be one of the slowest players on the field, he is probably one of the best shielders of the ball, a talent that is enhanced by his large size. The aforementioned strength and footwork give him a great advantage against defenders, and he rarely seems to have any trouble getting his shot off. Combined with his height, his great body control makes him an immense danger when the ball is delivered in the air. If he’s getting service, watch his dribbling and shielding technique. Though many people don’t like him, he’s pretty mesmerizing to watch in his own right. One additional note is that he doesn’t usually play well when the pressure’s on, and he very well could become frustrated and lose his concentration in a game with stakes as high as this.

Lukas Podolski is another one of the Bayern players who frustrates fans with his inconsistency. When he’s playing well, Podolski has lightning speed and brilliant accurate finishing ability. Once he’s behind a defense, a goal is pretty much a foregone conclusion. While he’s not as canny as Eto’o at cutting out space for himself in the box, if he finds space he can put the ball on the frame of the goal. Yes, that photo shows his bicycle kick in the previous round against Sporting Lisbon. He can be a magician. Yet Poldi can also be a fraud, as his sometimes seemingly disinterested attitude overpowers his talent and is a detriment to the club. Unlike Toni though, Podolski does seem to play well on the big stages, both for club and country, so the thinking here is that he’ll be pretty dangerous.

How I see it playing out: Barcelona’s big three will be giving a lot of trouble to the Bayern defense, and if they are getting service and space, they will have a chance to show off their talents. When Barca have the ball, we should watch how Bayern defend the middle of the field. If Barca can use their great dribbling playmakers to get to the middle of the field, they can be much more dangerous. If Bayern’s marking can keep Messi and Henry on the wings, Bayern should be strong enough to defend against those kinds of crosses. Look for Barca to really focus on getting a goal on the counterattack by getting Eto’o or Henry behind the defenders with loads of space, as Munich’s defenders don’t always deal with those situations well.

For Bayern, they will need Toni to provide an aerial presence to take advantage of Barca’s smaller defenders. They should try to find him early in the first game, as an early strike would not only give them an important away goal, but give Toni’s confidence a boost throughout the rest of the tie. If he starts to miss chances, Toni’s frustration could be difficult for him to surmount. Look for Podolski to attempt to take advantage of Barca defender Dani Alves’ forays into attack by taking runs at the center of the Barcelona defense. Poldi will need to challenge them and make Alves think twice about going forward. Doing so will not only give Bayern opportunities to score, but also neutralize a big part of the Barca attack.

While Miro will be wearing street clothes and watching the action just like us (but perhaps just a tad more frustrated than us at not being out there. Only just a little bit!), it should still be a feast for football fans everywhere, and soccer gods willing, we’ll see some goals!

• Wednesday - Storylines
• Thursday - Goalkeepers
• Friday - Defenders
• Monday - Midfielders
• Tuesday - Forwards
• Wednesday - Substitutes/Miscellany
• Thursday Monday - Managers/Tactics
• Friday Tuesday - Betyourmortgage™ Prediction

We’re starting the week right by covering the midfielders in the big matchup. It’s only appropriate that I make the disclaimer that injuries may change the starting units, but in most cases I’m going to assume that all of those close to health will want to be on the field and that’s how the preview will take shape. Later this week, we’ll cover the substitutes, so all the the likely participants will be covered.

Technically speaking, Barcelona employs a 4-3-3 formation, and it says here that the starting midfielders for Barcelona will be:

Iniesta—Touré—Xavi

Both Andrés Iniesta and the antelope Yaya Touré have been fighting injuries but I expect that they’ll be fit enough to walk out of the tunnel and onto the field at the Camp Nou next week.

Barcelona’s viper Xavi lines up on the right side behind forward Lionel Messi, and the two play with an almost supernatural understanding of each other and superlative one-touch passing. Xavi’s playmaking ability is highlighted by both his knack for making perfectly precise through-balls to players running forward and for his ability to always be in position to receive a pass. He’s essentially the anchor of Barcelona’s midfield and could certainly be regarded as Barcelona’s field general when the Blaugrana are on the attack. While he understands his primary role as a midfielder, Xavi will also makes smart runs past the forwards into the opposing penalty area, giving serious trouble to opposing defenses (particularly ones that are not organized). While his best work is done through attack, he’s a solid and smart defender who wins many 50-50 balls. As is true with the other Barcelona midfielders, he looks to apply defensive pressure in the opponents’ half, looking to disrupt their possession early and start a quick counter-attack.

In Andrés Iniesta, Barcelona have exceptional skill on the ball and wonderful inventiveness. He and Xavi are both hitting their strides as two of the best midfielders in the game. Unselfish almost to a fault, Iniesta’s ability to hold possession even under tight defensive scrutiny is tremendous, and he’ll be counted on to avoid tackles and maintain possession in the match against Bayern. He’s also gifted with great vision, so when Samuel Eto’o or Thierry Henry dash towards goal, look for Iniesta to pick them out. Like Xavi, Iniesta is not known for his defending but actually does a pretty good job challenging for the ball in the opposition’s half and marking opposing attackers when Barca are pushed back.

Yaya Touré is a up-and-coming player who is becoming a high-quality holding midfielder right before our eyes. Sturdy enough to break up opponent’s attacking play while also a keen decision-maker in his distribution of the ball to his flanking players, Yaya is becoming increasingly vital to Barcelona as well as national side Côte d’Ivoire. With defensive teammates who like to get up into the attack (like Dani Alves), Touré is responsible for filling the gaps. When he’s defending, look for Yaya to be surveying the Bayern attack and anticipating and marking the runners.

Given that forward Luca Toni is healthy enough to start with Lukas Podolski at the top, Bayern Munich will be playing a 4-4-2. In the midfield, expect to see the starters:

Ribéry—Zé Roberto—Van Bommel—Schweinsteiger

One of the most terrific players in world football is München’s marquee man, the dynamic flea himself, Franck Ribéry. Franck is known for his great speed, wonderful dribbling, and reputation as the team pranckster. While he always plays with a nose for goal, also look for the Frenchman to utilize the wing and whip in crosses (both on the ground and in the air) to find his big target Toni or the dangerous streaking Zé Roberto. Ribéry’s tackling isn’t so great, but he is fast enough to chase down most opponents and prevent them from having free run. It will certainly be compelling to see how he plays on Barcelona’s deadly right side, which features Alves, Xavi and Messi. Furthermore, there have been rumors in the last few months about Ribéry joining the Catalan giants, so look for him to try to impress his potential future supporters.

Next up is the ageless Brazilian Zé Roberto. Even at age 34 the central midfielder can still give opposing defenses fits with his sense of positioning and his pace while making runs at goal. Having played as a winger for Bayern as well as holding midfielder for Brazil (he’s since retired from international football to concentrate on his club duties), the versatile midfielder plays with great intelligence and heart. Look for him to seek to build a connection with Ribéry as the game starts at Camp Nou, as the two will be looking to feel out the Barca defense and try to establish themselves in attack. On defense, Zé will be very active and will most likely focus his defending on closing down Yaya and Iniesta, while also being responsible for starting counterattacks in the other direction. Also look for him guarding the posts on corner kick defense; he’s been seen clearing the ball off the line on numerous occasions.

Mark Van Bommel will make a bittersweet return to the Camp Nou where he won the Champions League with Barcelona in 2005. A tireless tackler, the first foreign-born Bayern captain will be Munich’s backbone in midfield. While there is no challenge from which he will back down, he will certainly have his hands full with Barca’s attack. Look for him to play Xavi very closely with the intention of completely shutting down his former teammate. His physical play can be very frustrating to opponents, and he takes a good deal of pleasure in intimidating them. Look for him to earn a card in the match as his exuberance usually gets the better of him, especially when emotions run high, as they no doubt will in this matchup. While he will be focusing on his defending in this tie, he does have some skill with the ball and may take a few dangerous shots from the 20-yard range.

Bastian Schweinsteiger is an enigmatic talent. While he is an excellent crosser and shooter, quality dribbler, good defender, and smart player, he hasn’t always shown the consistency to give Bayern fans complete confidence in him. He’s always played well in the big matches (especially for the national team). If he finds confidence in this match, he will surely be a handful. Recently he has seemed to hit his stride in both his play and his temperament, and München fans will be counting on him to come good against Barca.

How I see it playing out: While I’m expecting a tactical twist in these lineups (which we’ll go into further on Thursday), the basics still hold: the keys are disruption in defense and creativity in attack. But that’s not really good analysis. I guess I’ll be looking closely at how the teams pressure their opponents in the middle of the field. The team that has the most success gaining possession in midfield will be the team that puts the most pressure on the other’s defense, and I think this type of sustained pressure will be a huge advantage for the team that does it. Both managers have said that they don’t want to “sit back,” so dispossessing opponents in their defensive half will be an important way to exploit weakness. Both teams are fluid and athletic enough to do this well, so it will definitely be something to look out for.

The Xavi-Van Bommel and Zé Roberto-Touré matchups will also go a long way in helping us take the temperature of the match. Whichever of these attackers has the most success will most likely determine who wins the midfield battle.

• Wednesday - Storylines
• Thursday - Goalkeepers
• Friday - Defenders
• Monday - Midfielders
• Tuesday - Forwards
• Wednesday - Substitutes/Miscellany
• Thursday Monday - Managers/Tactics
• Friday Tuesday - Betyourmortgage™ Prediction

For those who want more spirit animals, click the spirit animal category at the top of a previous entry. For the Barca-Bayern matchup, check out one of the first entries in the spirit animal series, Lúcio the musk ox.