The current champions, Manchester United, Barcelona and possibly the two best teams of the moment, the dispute on Wednesday in the Rome Olympic final of the Champions League football (18h45 GMT), the world's most prestigious club tournament.
Both reach the decisive match of the Italian capital having won in mid-May the title in their respective national leagues, although Barcelona also won the Copa del Rey and look for a historic 'Treble'.
In recent months, the outcome of the game and the men who directed Josep Guardiola has given wings to the fans of the team, already dreaming of the third European crown, after those obtained in 1992 in London and in Paris in 2006.
"On Wednesday, do not fail," said Catalan coach on their ward on Saturday, when the club celebrated with their fans at the Camp Nou double the national league in a match where the team fell 1-0 to Osasuna in the than the coach reserved for the holders to several European final.
Despite the apparent euphoria, the challenge is complicated, with a Manchester United will try to be the first to validate the European title since 1990, when Milan won 1-0 at Benfica in Vienna, after the final goleado 1989 to Steaua Bucharest (4-0).
The team from Old Trafford is also supported by its effectiveness in the finals of the maximum continental event, where he has coveted final three (1968, 1999, 2008) and has completed all of them lifting the championship trophy.
The veteran technician United, Alex Ferguson has warned in recent weeks, the potential of Barcelona. "We must be aware that the threat comes not only from England. The key comes from Barcelona," Scots coach, predicted in late March, when newly to contest the knockout round.
His words were visionary and equipment azulgrana, who sealed his move to the final with a tie in the dying ground of Chelsea, threatens to deprive the Premier League for a new title, after the English championship placed three of its representatives in the semifinals.
The game also will result in Rome expected duel between the two players will compete for the honorary title of 'best player in the world': the Argentine Lionel Messi and Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo.
The international Albiceleste reached the finals as top scorer of the competition, with eight targets and is facing a golden opportunity to shine in a wide final and claim his candidacy for the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player Award, which won the last edition in Portuguese rival.
The low marked the preparations for the Barcelona, which has altered their usual eleven. While Manchester United may not have sanctioned the Darren Fletcher and Rio Ferdinand is a doubt due to injury, Guardiola will be thwarted in defense of the suspended Dani Alves and Eric Abidal, Rafael Marquez and the injured.
In attack, Thierry Henry and Andres Iniesta, injured since the beginning of the month, are also doubts, while Barca have forced recovery.
apuestas en internetOff the field, the end was a large deployment of security in and around Rome to prevent violent incidents, both swollen with displaced with local 'tifosi' radical. In addition to the arrival of support staff from England and Spain, has decided to ban alcohol sales in much of the city to coincide with the date of the game.