Champions League Final Poll | Man Of The Match Musings

Guten Abend to one and to all.

As most of you will already have noticed, lately we have been running a poll asking for you to cast your vote on FC Barcelona’s best player during the Champions League final in Rome.

When the voting closed a few days ago however we were left with a tie, both Xavi and Lionel Messi amassing an equal share of the vote. Subsequently we have re-opened the poll for a further 24 hours, so if you haven’t already had your say on that feel free to get involved.

With a matter of hours remaining and Xavi and Messi way out ahead as the frontrunners, it seems inevitable one of the two will emerge triumphant. Personally though, if we were running an editor’s choice to this poll, I would be inclined to pick one of Xavi or Andres Iniesta for the award.

For me it was in that midfield trio of Busquets, Xavi and Iniesta that Barcelona outfought Manchester United. The beauty of Pep Guardiola’s midfield three, both on the night and more generally, is that not only are they exceptional footballers when in possession, spreading the ball about with all the ease and sweetness of spreading jam on toast. But without the ball they also work tigerishly hard to press opponents and win back possession.

To my mind, although Messi had the final say in this year’s World Player of the Year award battle with Cristiano Ronaldo by way of his decisive second goal, he did not dazzle as brightly as either Xavi or Iniesta. Both midfielders notched up an assist. Both ran the midfield. Xavi won the sponsors’ man of the match award out in Rome to go along with his Player of the Tournament award at EURO 2008, and neither decision raises eyebrows. Likewise, Iniesta also had a great game, despite pre-match question marks over his fitness. And after all, without him the Catalans wouldn’t even have made it to the Olimpico.

So if it were left to me, either Xavi or Iniesta would win man of the match for the Champions League final 2009. I’d have to flip a coin.

Andres Iniesta, Champions League, FC Barcelona, Lionel Messi, Polls, Xavi