Guardiola patching up Barcelona defence for Rome final

By Duncan Shaw May 25, 2009, 7:45 GMT

Madrid - Barcelona coach Josep Guardiola is working around the clock to improvise a defence for Wednesday's Champions League final against holders Manchester United.

Guardiola has his work cut out, because he will be without no less than three of his first-choice defenders in the Rome showdown.

Full-backs Dani Alves and Eric Abidal are both suspended, centre-back Rafa Marquez is injured.

In addition, Argentine defender Gabriel Milito is still not fit and young reserve Victor Sanchez is also injured. And Guardiola clearly has little faith in Uruguayan defender Martin Caceres, an expensive signing last summer from Villarreal.

Guardiola will probably put veteran captain Carles Puyol at right-back, and Yaya Toure at centre-back alongside the fast-improving Gerard Pique.

Toure, normally a defensive midfielder, did well in defence in the 1-1 draw away to Chelsea which put Barca in the final.

With regards to the left-back slot, though, there are still more questions than answers. Guardiola is trying to persuade midfielder Seydou Keita to play there, but the midfielder is still reluctant.

Another option is Brazilian veteran Sylvinho, though facing United ace Cristiano Ronaldo might prove to be a bridge too far for him at the age of 35.

Bossing the Barca midfield, as usual, will be the elegant Xavi, supported by young battler Sergio Busquets.

Guardiola then has to consider whether Andres Iniesta and Thierry Henry are fit enough to start the game. Neither have played for three weeks after suffering pulled muscles.

Iniesta will probably start, out on the left wing - alongside Samuel Eto'o and Lionel Messi - with Henry kept on the subs' bench for the second half.

Despite these injury and suspension problems, Barca are approaching the final in good heart, hoping to be the first ever Spanish side to pull off the 'treble' of league, cup and Champions League.

On Sunday club president Joan laporta said that 'we have a very good team, and a coach (Guardiola) who guides them majestically. I am convinced that they will not let us down.'

He added that 'we can go to Rome with our heads high because we are close to excellency, and I am confident that we will be faithful to our footballing philosophy.'

Barca have already one one Champions League during Laporta's reign, in 2006 under Dutch coach Frank Rijkaard.

Around 30,000 Barca fans are planning to make the trip to Rome, many of them without match tickets.

Laporta asked, on Sunday, that these fans 'demonstrate once more that we are more than just a club, and that Rome should be a football party.'

Also on Sunday, former Barca captain and coach Johann Cruyff wrote in his weekly column in newspaper El Periodico that 'they should see Wednesday's final not as an obligation to win, but as a game to enjoy. That is the only way to give 100 per cent.'

Cruyff led Barca to victory at the 1992 Champions final against Sampdoria, but was thrashed two years later by AC Milan.

In all, Barca have won two Champions League finals (1992 and 2006) and have lost three (1961, 1986 and 1994).