Edwin: Bring On Barcelona

Edwin van der Sar is relishing the prospect of facing Barcelona in this month’s Champions League final.

But the veteran goalkeeper, who will play in his fifth European Cup final should Sir Alex select him on 28 May, hopes the Reds can produce a better performance than when the two sides last met.

On that occasion, in the 2009 final in Rome, Barcelona outplayed United and won 2-0. Two years later, United have an opportunity to exact revenge.

“They play excellently, with good football,” Van der Sar acknowledged. “They showed that in the final of 2009.

“We have to make sure we’ve learned our lesson from that one and be better prepared and deal with them in a different way than we did then.”

This season’s final will take place at Wembley Stadium, the scene of United’s first European triumph back in 1968. And to lift the trophy at the same venue later this month would be a special moment for everybody at the club, according to Edwin.

“It means a lot for the club – for the players, for the fans, for Sir Bobby, for the manager… these are great occasions and to play at Wembley after so many years, it’s going to be a great happening.

“Hopefully we get a better outcome than we did when we played Barcelona a couple of years ago.”