A rookie will rise — or a record will fall
Nothing tops off a title celebration like the knowledge that you’ve witnessed something extraordinary. The minds of sports fans are littered with interesting tidbits about acts once thought impossible — they are the conversation-sweeteners that propel water cooler banter across the world. This year's final boasts a number of juicy subplots.

Winner of its third Premier League title in a row, United heads to Rome chasing its fourth triumph in European soccer’s most prestigious club competition. If they raise the trophy, the reigning title holders will become the first club to defend their UEFA Champions League title in the modern era.   

If Barcelona prevails, 38-year-old Josep “Pep” Guardiola, a former midfielder for the club, will hoist the trophy as a rookie manager — an amazing accomplishment given the long list of experienced and gifted managers who have yet to get their hands on the trophy.

A rivalry will blossom
Rivalries can be found in all sorts of places. From high school football fields to the living rooms of your favorite soap opera characters, wherever there’s competition, there’s bound to be someone who thinks they deserve to be on top.

On Wednesday, despite the presence of numerous mouth-watering head-to-head encounters, the most anticipated is between two players whose paths will rarely cross: Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo.

Both are sensational talents. Ronaldo, the 2008 FIFA World Player of the Year, scored a staggering 42 goals last season, as he played a major part in United’s winning its first Champions League title since the 1988-89 season. Despite offseason ankle surgery, the Portuguese winger quickly reclaimed his place as one of the world's best with powerful performances both domestically and abroad.

Messi is a lithe Argentinean with quick feet and an even quicker mind. The 21-year-old finished second to Ronaldo in last year's balloting for FIFA World Player of the Year, and has the uncanny ability to create goal-scoring opportunities from next to nothing.

Slideshow   Key players Take a look at the soccer stars to watch when Barcelona and Manchester United battle in the 2008-09 Champions League final. more photos

What links these players — and excites fans and pundits — is their ability to alter the tempo of a match with a simple swivel of their hips. Their matchup is soccer's answer to Magic vs. Bird — a rivalry forged not out of disdain, but rather, out of respect for the other's ability to turn a game completely on its head.

Although Messi and Ronaldo may not face each other directly, excited onlookers will note each positive movement, assigning a value to each pass, shot and goal, until one strikes the knockout blow and tips the scales in his favor. This game is as much about the teams, as it is about cementing one of these two as the world's best.

In the end, it doesn't matter whether you tune in because you're a dedicated fan, or because your roommate just happens to be watching. All that really matters is that you sit back, relax, and give the game a chance — remember, it won't end in a tie!

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