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Barcelona chasing greatness against Man United

(Agencies)
Updated: 2011-05-24 16:50

Barcelona's goalkeeper Victor Valdes attends a training session at Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, May 23, 2011. [Photo/Agencies]

Barcelona completed its third straight Spanish title-winning season in style Saturday when a team composed mostly of reserve players came from a goal behind to beat Malaga 3-1.

Messi was among seven regulars left out by coach Pep Guardiola but Bojan Krkic, Ibrahim Afellay and Marc Bartra made their case for inclusion in the squad for Wembley with the goals that secured a record 14th win from 18 away games.

Barcelona finished with three fewer points than last season, but still won by four points from a Real Madrid side coached by Jose Mourinho and driven by a Spanish-record 53 goals from Cristiano Ronaldo.

"We're not here to grade ourselves," Guardiola said. "We're here to play a game and that's been impeccable. Last year we had 99 points and this year 96 - it's absolutely ridiculous."

Like United, Barcelona also has history at Wembley.

With Real Madrid having won the title six times by the time Barcelona made the 1992 final, the Catalan club finally clinched the trophy it desperately craved with a 1-0 win over Sampdoria.

Johan Cruyff's "Dream Team" of Michael Laudrup, Hristo Stoichkov, Ronald Koeman and Guardiola had to wait until the 21st minute of extra time for the goal that would end the wait.

Koeman had already had one of his trademark free kicks saved when he lined up a 25-meter (yard) shot just right of center. But the Netherlands sweeper coolly curled a low left-foot shot around the defensive wall and in at the far post.

Barcelona now has a team of players capable of such feats and is rated a 21-20 favorite by British bookmakers to win the title. United is a 3-1 outsider.