Wilshere: Here's how United can beat Barca (although I don't think they will)
Published 23:01 26/05/11 By Oliver Holt
England star Jack Wilshere was so impressed with Barcelona when he played against them for Arsenal this season that he swapped shirts with two players after a game.
But Wilshere still believes that Manchester United can beat the Catalan giants in the Champions League final at Wembley tomorrow.
Wilshere was brilliant when Arsenal triumphed over the Spanish champions at the Emirates in the first leg of their second round tie this season.
Arsenal were knocked out after losing the second leg but Wilshere insists that United are better equipped to get the best of Lionel Messi, Xavi, Iniesta and the rest.
"I think you have to get in their faces," Wilshere said. "You have to really hold your shape.
"I think United will be really good because they have the players, like Park and Fletcher - if he plays - who will get after them.
"That's what you have to do you. You have to stop the players like Xavi, Messi and Iniesta or else they can just kill you.
"But if you can get in their faces - and we showed it in the second half - I don't think they get tired , but they seem to ease off in the second half and you really have to go for them.
"A couple of days before the game, we worked on our shape defensively and worked out what to do when we didn't have the ball.
"When we had the ball, the idea was to keep it. When we hadn't got the ball the idea was to get around them with three men and press them quite high.
"They like to play it and if you can nick it in their half you've got more of a chance.
"For that first 20 minutes at the Emirates, I don't think I'd ever run so far in my life. We got the ball and they had three closing us down every time and just got it back. We couldn't keep the ball.
"United have a better chance than we had. They have players like Fletcher, Park , Valencia. They are all runners and they can stop players.
"So I'd play with just Rooney up front and Valencia and Park helping when they get the chance to get forward.
"For most of it, they will be defending because that is what happens when you play against Barcelona."
Wilshere warned United's players to beware the play-acting antics that stained Barcelona's bitter semi-final clash with Real Madrid.
"I don't think they are really divers," he said, "they are just good at getting round the referee and helping him change his decision. Against us, Busquets was the main one that was doing that."
Even if United get their tactics right, Wilshere still believes Barcelona will emerge victorious.
He is such a big admirer of the Catalans that, after the match against them in London, he started a shirt collection:
"I swapped with Xavi, but I wanted Messi's as well. I was too embarrassed to walk into their dressing room and ask for it, so I asked Cesc to get it for me."
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