Manchester United has another English title and Cristiano Ronaldo. Chelsea has a huge, talented squad and the wealth of owner Roman Abramovich. There is no underdog in this Champions League final as two English clubs make history by going head to head in Moscow.
It could hardly be more fitting. Fifty years after the Munich air disaster that killed 23 people and rocked a city, Manchester United stand on the brink of a European
triumph, something that means so much to the local people and to the club itself. Eight United players died in the crash in 1958, wiping out many footballers who experts believed could go on to dominate Europe for many years to come.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney gave Manchester United a clinical 2-0 win at AS Roma on Tuesday in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal. Portugal forward Ronaldo soared inside the area six minutes before the break to head home a Paul Scholes cross after Rooney had skipped away from Philippe Mexes.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored two goals on Sunday to help Manchester United beat Tottenham 3-1 in the fourth round of the FA Cup, and United celebrated some more when neighbour Manchester City was ousted by Sheffield United 2-1. Robbie Keane gave Spurs a 24th-minute lead at Old Trafford, but Carlos Tevez equalised in the 38th.