MANCHESTER UNITED VS BARCELONA 2009 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL BETTING TIPS

The bookies still can't seem to sort out who the favourite is for the 2009 Champions League Final. UK bookmaker William Hill has both teams listed at 8/5 for the outright win with the draw paying a mere 9/5. Even if you look at the correct score markets, they are virtually identical on all sides. The only real tip I can glean from their odds is that Barcelona are 7/20 for the double chance (draw + win) while United are at 3/10 for the same bet. That's only a hairsbreath of difference between these two teams. Both teams are 11/4 to score in both halves, while both are 2/1 to keep a clean sheet. Identical odds of 12/5 are available for "to win to nil". The double result has Barcelona/Barcelona at 4/1 with Man Utd/Man Utd at 4/1. The real money in the double result market is when a team is ahead at half-time but winds up losing the game. Barcelona/Manchester United is 22/1 and the reverse scenario pays? 22/1. Personally, I think there is a chance that United could really dominate this match. Question marks remain over the head of Rio Ferdinand- if he gets through the match with Hull City I think he'll start, but considering the status of Barcelona's already porous defence, I think United hold the advantage in terms of the back four. United have already stated that Park Ji Sung will start the match and I think that means a 4-3-2-1 with Ronaldo at the top, Park and Rooney just behind with Carrick, Scholes and likely Anderson in the middle of the park to provide some more defensive cover. I fancy United to strike early, perhaps from a set-piece, and I know that Barcelona are in danger of conceding a penalty in this match. I don't expect one from United, but Barca may be desperate after thirty minutes of non-stop attack from Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo. Berbatov and Tevez will likely remain on the bench in case we need to call upon somebody for a goal. I think United will double man-mark Messi for the first part of the game and then track his patterns and readjust their defensive system. John O'Shea has been tapped for a starting berth on the left and I think that's more than justified. I'm unsure if Barca will score, but even if they do get up to 1-0, they will have to keep attacking as United will have serious questions to ask of their defense.