By Myles Palmer
How will the Arsenal players feel if Bayer Leverkusen pull off a shock win at Hampden Park tonight?
Arsenal thrashed Leverkusen 4-1 and should have won over there as well.
Figo, Raul, Zidane, Roberto Carlos – the Real superstars should be unbeatable in a European Cup Final, right?
Not really, because Figo’s ankle is crocked, Raul hasn’t scored for weeeks, and Roberto Carlos has no final ball.
So it’s down to Zidane, who lost his two previous finals with Juventus, or maybe Solari.
Zizou has won the World Cup and Euro 2002 but he’s never won the European Cup, so he really, really wants it.
Who can stop him?
Maybe Lucio, who has become my favourite centreback. He’s very big, very fast and very risky, but I love him.
Ballack was invisible against Arsenal but Arsenal are much better than most teams and he might score against Madrid. He can hit them with left and right and head them in as well.
Can Ballack somehow get past Helguera and Hierro for a decisive moment?
Leverkusen will miss the suspended Ze Roberto, a fabulous little player, much better than Roberto Carlos, who is more of a spectacular gladiator than a goal-maker or scorer.
How depressing to miss the biggest game of your career AND the World Cup
Ze Roberto should be in Big Phil’s Brazil 23 but the Bundesliga Brazilians never get the credit they deserve.
Still, Schneider crosses a really great ball, Basturk is a tricky dribbler and diver, and Placente is left back with tons of flair and know-how.
MADRID have good players too, of course.
Solari, the left-footed Argentinian has a steely quality and is one of my favourites, so I hope he starts.
If these two collections of talents can’t produce an entertaining game of football then my name’s not Nigel Gunshot-Wound.
But it’s midnight and I’m fed up because my mates are having all the fun this week.
I forgot to mention that Doug went to Beckingham Palace on Sunday for the charity dinner.
He said it was lovely Marvellous that so much money could be raised for charity. Big country house, Elton, loads of footballers.
He was sitting next to the Derby chairman, who went to chat to Sven and then came back and said Sven was downcast because of the Gerrard and Dyer injuries.
I did not know till Doug rang that Gerrard was out of the World Cup.I was downcast myself when I heard that news.
ON MONDAY Mark phoned and said some Glasgow lawyers he does business with have tickets and his firm have been invited to the game.
So they’re flying up but there are no hotel rooms left so they’ll have to get a sleeper back.
Mark has never seen a European Cup Final before, so he’s up for it.
I look forward to his report on Thursday.I’m not taking calls this week while I’m so busy writing, so maybe I should email Mark and give him a time to call me.
As I said, I’m just not having any fun this week. I’m fed up. I’m off to bed.
G’night!
15th May 2002.