This is Barcelona versus Manchester United, with no metaphor to match

By Darshan Joshi, writing from Sydney

The powers of fate will look upon the masses of match previews as one collective jinx, but as far as European football goes, it does not get bigger than this. Sure, the winner of the Coca-Cola Championship playoff will go on to receive a payoff the size of which the likes of Rupert Murdoch have not (yet)* seen, but as far as the weighing scale entertainment potential goes, we are at our sport’s zenith. This is Rafael Nadal against Roger Federer at their respective peaks, this is the free men of Middle Earth facing Mordor. This is football culture at its finest; this is Barcelona against Manchester United, at one of the most modern, and yet traditional of venues.

Regardless of who you support – Liverpool or Real Madrid, Espanyol or Manchester City – you know that your eyes will be fixed on the glamour of London this night. When the most elegant of footballing individuals are packed densely into teams housing the best of comrades, you know you are in for a feast. It is listening to ‘Sunny Afternoon’ on a sunny afternoon, and ‘Dancing In The Street’ as you dance in the street. The one wish we all have, though, is that it lives up to its billing.

But then again, why shouldn’t it? It is a battle between Zeus and Hades, sans the biased affiliation of good and evil. In the moment we currently live in, hours before kick-off, anything is possible. Why not go as far as to suggest that in a hundred years, our scions will look back at Shakespeare, Tolkien and this very match as scrolls epitomising resplendent razzmatazz? Just over six hours of build-up linger ahead of us. The seconds will pass as the longest of our lives, but boy, it could be worth every micro-moment. Wherever you are on our vast planet, whoever you support, and whatever your situation is, let the looming couple of hours take centre-stage. Enjoy the match.

* this cannot be guaranteed