A dream date with destiny

A BALL hasn’t even been kicked yet and, already, we are in danger of exhausting the superlatives.

If tonight’s Champions’ League final is half as monumental as the build-up, we’ll have no cause for complaint. But such is the intense burden of expectation surrounding the meeting of Manchester United and Barcelona, it inevitably brings with it the nagging worry that anything less than the majestic and historic – or to put it more bluntly, a beauty contest with balls – will feel like an anti-climax.

Still, the grounds for hope are understandable and not just rooted in the commitment to attacking excellence which unites these two great clubs. This evening’s showdown offers a host of intriguing sub-plots, contrasting personalities and invigorating individual duels.