When Manchester United line-up against Barcelona next week, the focus will be on how the Premier League champions can keep Lionel Messi from having too much of an impact on proceedings. Many teams have tried and failed to stop the Argentinean from weaving his magic and if United don't manage it, then it is hard to see any other result than a Barca win.
The man that will most likely be handed the job of keeping Messi on a leash will be versatile South Korean Park Ji-sung, who did a sterling job when the two sides met in the 2009 final. Park has once again been one of the first names on Sir Alex Ferguson's big game team-sheets, his tireless attitude making him an integral part of the team's success this season. Those looking at the Champions League specials will no doubt be aware of this.
While the Korean has never been the most high-profile member of the United squad, his efforts haven't gone unnoticed by his team-mates. Left-back Patrice Evra has been glowing in their praise for the effort and dedication Park puts in, claiming the midfielder could be the secret weapon in the bid to silence Messi. Those looking at the Champions League predictions should put some serious thought into that.
"I think Ji is an example to every player. He runs for everyone. Sometimes if I'm tired I know I'll be okay because Ji will run for me," he said.
"I think he's one of the most important players in the team because he doesn't stop running, he can run all day."
No comments:
Post a Comment