Peace prevails in Rome as Champions League final draws near

As kick-off in the Champions League final neared it looked as if the Eternal City was putting on its best face. Temperatures, which had been well in excess of 35C in the previous 48 hours had conveniently begun to dip. A slight breeze blew down from Monte Mario and the millennial treasures of the world's most historic city seemed to glow in the afternoon light.
The previous night may have been marred by two stabbings (of which little is known at this time, beyond the identity of the victims, a Briton and an American), but for most who had ventured into the Roman evening, things passed without incident. There was plenty of alcohol and singing in Campo de Fiori, Rome's answer to the Bigg Market, mostly from United fans, while Barcelona supporters preferred to sample some of the culinary delights across the Tiber in Trastevere or, for the more au fait, down in San Lorenzo or Pigneto.
By this morning the fans were everywhere and readily visible: United supporters, with their AIG-emblazoned kit, and the Barca faithful, clad in "azulgrana".
Somewhere the two sides were preparing for the culmination of the club football season. Most of the players had already been in a European final, a testament to the clubs' pedigrees. You felt sorry for those missing out. Among the United ranks, Darren Fletcher stands out, but also Owen Hargreaves, no doubt watching from wherever he has chosen to rehab his umpteenth injury. And, among the Catalans, Eric Abidal and Daniel Alves are both suspended for this final, while Rafael Marquez is out through injury.
Indeed, as kick-off approached you wondered what was going through the minds of the "marginals", those players who, whether through injury or managerial preference, were in doubt. Had Andres Iniesta and Thierry Henry recovered enough to start? (Odds are they have.) Is Rio Ferdinand ready to start? (Almost certainly, yes.) Would there be a role for Dimitar Berbatov and Carlos Tevez, some £60m of striking talent? (Possibly, but almost definitely not from the start.)
And what of Gary Neville, that most loyal of club servants and still United's club captain? Would he really have to sit this one out? (Looks that way - unless United get a big lead and he gets sent on as a reward.) And, with Fletcher out, which of United's two golden oldies - Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs - would get a crack at the starting XI? Or would they both be included? (Odds are it will be one or the other, though whoever is left out will get some playing time.)
And out there, somewhere, locked in their own private thoughts, were the world's two best footballers, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Inhabiting a plane most of us can't even relate to, it's impossible to know what they were thinking. Both have already won this trophy, both have already been hailed as the best on the planet, both are still young: 21 and 24 respectively. Did they see it as a personal battle? Did they fear the weight of responsibility and expectation? Or, when you're that good, do you lock everything out of your mind and simply focus on what will happen once you cross that white line?
As for Rome, the city itself has seen it all before. There is a reason it's the Eternal City. Nothing fazes it, hardened by history, ennobled by beauty, it can distance itself from those it welcomes as guests. But those who come here, especially those who aim to make history, can never fully leave this place. They will forever leave a piece of themselves behind. If they can be the ones who lift the trophy in a few hours' time, that will be a price worth paying for the United and Barca faithful alike.
Source:The times