First of all, don’t freak. It’s not like I’m going to be giving you up to the minute updates from Rome on the Champions League title match between Barcelona and Manchester United.

One, I’m not that astute an observer of soccer. Two, my interest isn’t that great, piqued mostly because I was able to buy a F.C. Barcelona jersey a couple of years back when the team’s store was right next to our hotel in that marvelous Catalonian city, one of the world’s greatest. Thankfully they had one that fit my largesse.

As soccer matches go, this Champions League title game isn’t that far below the World Cup in stature. In Europe, it’s especially huge.

Two observations at the start. I’m somewhat startled by the pre-game hoopla. I recall that before a recent World Cup championship match — the biggest single sporting event on the planet — there was no kitsch at all. The teams marched out. National anthems were played. The game commenced. Today there was more Americanized hoo hah. Not a good thing.

And announcers Derek Rae and Tommy Smyth advise they’re playing with some new technology ball. Has little knobs on it or something. I dunno. Why would they do that in such an important contest?

I do know that when Man U’s Ronaldo had a free kick early from about forty years, he was able to rocket a knuckleball toward the goal. Or whaterver soccer’s equivalent of a knuckleball is called. Fortunately, the rebound was booted away.

As for the game itself, Barca, shorthanded as they are because of injuries and suspensions, is leading 1-nil — as they say — on a Samuel Eto’o goal about ten minutes in. There are now about fourteen minutes to go in the first half.

– Seedy K