After all the interviews have been given, the analysis written, the radio phone-ins heard and the pundits prevaricated, a football match will be played in Paris on Wednesday night.
And Arsène Wenger intends to win it.
Ahead of the game, the Arsenal manager gave an indication of how he
might achieve it despite the presence of Ronaldinho, Deco,
Eto'o et al.
"I am convinced it will be more in the way we have a go at
them than the way we stop them," he said tellingly.
"If you look at the Champions League records, we are the two
teams with the most consistent record and the best passing in
Europe.
"We have a little bit a better defensive record and they have
a better offensive record. But they are certainly one of the best
teams in the world."
Much will depend on how Wenger's European formation of 4-5-1
can withstand the scrutiny of by Frank Rijkaard's side. The
last time the Frenchman tried it in a Final was against Manchester
United last May in Cardiff. But he is only admission it did not
work.
"I came back in the middle of my holiday and watched this tape
again," he said. "I could not understand how we had
played so badly. It was more dissuasive rather convincing. I
thought I will never play this system again. We won the game but it
was the biggest miracle since I have been in England."
So why did he persist with it in the Champions League?
"We suffered a lot in the League early in the season because
we played a 4-4-2 with an offensive team but without physically
power," said Wenger. "In Europe I did not want to lose
offensive players but I thought we'd have more security by
adding one more in central midfield."
It has worked until now in the Champions League, only one more game
to go.
