For on the television menu is a tasty European Cup final with an unexpected English ingredient. Owen Hargreaves, the Canadian-born England Under-21 international who made such a stunning impact in Bayern Munich's European Cup semi-final victory over Real Madrid, has a strong chance of playing in the final in San Siro tonight. It will be a case of room service or a late supper for Sven Goran Eriksson at England's Derbyshire hotel this evening. For on the television menu is a tasty European Cup final with an unexpected English ingredient. Owen Hargreaves, the Canadian-born England Under-21 international who made such a stunning impact in Bayern Munich's European Cup semi-final victory over Real Madrid, has a strong chance of playing in the final in San Siro tonight. Hargreaves is expected to replace the injured Jens Jeremies as the newly re-crowned German champions seek to end a 25-year wait for Europe's premier club honour when they face Valencia, last season's beaten finalists and the conquerors of Arsenal and Leeds en route. Bayern, who despatched Manchester United, start as favourites, but the verdict is based as much on history as logic: Bayern are an established "name", Valencia upstarts.The dichotomy reflects the contradictory consequences of the European Cup's expansion. Bayern's appearance suggests the motive behind the Champions' League to featherbed football's aristocracy is working.
Valencia's highlights the rise of a new breed the European specialist.While Bayern, three-times European champions, have just clinched their 16th Bundesliga title in 32 years, Valencia have not won their domestic league since 1970. But this is their second successive European Cup final and, though they are out of the running for this season's Spanish title, they have all but secured next season's Champions' League place. Should Manchester United continue to dominate the Premiership, Valencia represent a model for Arsenal and others to aspire to.The tie also pits two of Europe's foremost coaches and their tactics will be watched by a slightly envious Eriksson. Though he led Lazio to a European Cup-Winners' Cup victory two years ago, he has not reached this stage.
The beaten manager in 1999, Hector Cuper, is as much a cosmopolitan technocrat as Eriksson. Then with Real Mallorca, now with Valencia, the Argentinian is expected to be at Internazionale next season.His opponent, Ottmar Hitzfeld, was considered by the Football Association for Eriksson's job, and might have got it but for his poor English, and is on Old Trafford's short-list. A winner of two Swiss and five German titles, he stands to become only the second man, after Ernst Happel (Feyenoord and Hamburg) to lead different teams to European Cup success.Yesterday he gave a glimpse of why he is so successful. It was eerily like listening to Eriksson as he spoke of simple fundamentals and logical reasoning. How had he transformed Bayern from FC Hollywood to the present united team? "Players should have one single goal, to be successful together Everyone has to respect the principle," he said. Of his more vociferous players, Oliver Kahn and Steffan Effenberg, he said: "I am glad we have personalities and leaders in our team."The memory of how Valencia froze in last year's final, when they lost 3-0 to Real Madrid, may mean a recall for Didier Deschamps. The former Chelsea player stands to become the first man to win the European Cup with three different clubs (after Marseilles in 1993, Juventus 1996).
