There are only about 48 hours to go before the UEFA Champions League final between Barca and Arsenal will be kicking off at the Stade de France in Paris.
The re-scheduled and annoying distraction - the match against FC Sevilla has been played and is out of the way. The Barcelona squad are completely focussing and involved with the preparations for the upcoming final in Paris.

The Barca team are ready to win the second European Cup in the club's history. This is definetely the most important match in the Club´s history and the euphoria and expectations of the Barca supporters is very high.


FC Barcelona has won the Spanish league title for the second time in a row and its total attacking football leaves Barca clearly as favourites before the Final.
We all know that a final is played over 90 minutes and there is no favourite for such an event.


Both teams that have reached the final deserve to be there, especially when one is the best attacking team (FC Barcelona) that eliminated Chelsea, Benfica and AC Milan in the second round and the other team, Arsenal, who has statistically the best defence and eliminated Real Madrid, Juventus and Villarreal to reach the final.

Both teams have not lost one match in this years Champions League campaign. So, no other team deserves to play in this final more.
The Barca fans have to be cautious about getting carried away to early because the confidence is very high. Of course, everybody who has seen Barca dominating the Spanish league week in week out and their fantastic and mature performances in the Champions League with their magical leader Ronaldinho, who is simply the best player in the world must get the impression that the European Trophy belongs to Barcelona.


The City of Barcelona is buzzing and already in party mood for a great "Fiesta" when the Cup comes "home" a second time.


But there has to be respect for the Arsenal team. Maybe, their Premiership campaign has been the least successful season in the last 10 years but an unbeaten record in the CL this year and a great run in the final period of the Premier League will mean an Arsenal that won't just roll over and play dead. We can still be optimistic but it will not be easy.


There are no injury problems at the moment and every single player is available for selection. Barca coach, Frank Rijkaard, will have a real luxury problem, deciding with players he will nominate into the squad that will appear in the Champions League Final in Paris.


Xavi was finally able to play a full 90 minutes against Sevilla following his injury and he seems to be 100% fit. His availability for selection will definitely make the Barca squad even stronger.

Defender Márquez and defensive midfielder Edmílson completed a full training session yesterday. Both Barca players had been nursing slight injuries and didn't travel to Seville on Saturday.
Even Leo Messi completed a large part of the training with his Barca teammates having individually warmed up with Barcelona fitness coach Juanjo Brau.

So, every player is available and understandably keen to be selected to the final squad.


Any Barca fan can feel that despite having several world class players in the squad that there is a great spirit in this team. The group is very close and you can see that everybody within the team is working for each other, trying to help. Great characters and personalities keep the communication level high, a fundamental basis that the team works. Even players who did not play much during the season, like Maxi, Gabri and Ezquerro feel that they are part of this fantastic squad.


Most people qgree that we will see a great final on Wednesday. We expect attacking football and hopefully some goals. May the best team win on the night, but let´s hope that the entire City of Barcelona will celebrate all night and the following Thursday when the Barca team arrives with the European Cup for the second time in FC Barcelona´s history.


Visca el Barca!