Soccer analyst Tommy Smyth told an ESPN.com chat audience on the eve of the big game why he likes the Red Devils and said it all has to do with their outstanding outside midfielders. Smyth also offered a little history on the game and says this event is as big as it gets in Europe, bigger than the Super Bowl is here in the United States.

An edited transcript from Smyth's May 25 chat follows.

	Man U's Ryan Giggs could be the key to a Red Devil victory.

Brooke Saucier: I think special matchups like this, that may not happen for years, are what makes European soccer great. In the proposed European Super League, Man U. would play Bayern two or more times a year, which could dilute these types of games. What are your feelings about the proposed league?

Tommy Smyth: I think with the expansion of the Champions League, UEFA has headed off the push for a Super League. With so much money available through the Champions League and the UEFA Cup, I don't see a Super League in the foreseeable future.

Martin: Do you think the two best European teams have made it to the Champions League final this year? With Italian clubs having so much success in the other two European Cups, I was surprised not to see an Italian team in the final.

Tommy Smyth: The best is who makes it to the finals. To me, the best team is the one that performs on that day. Good teams get results. It certainly would be a strange final without an Italian team, but it would have seemed very unusual if Juventus or Inter Milan made it to the final considering their standing in Serie A. If you go by the standings, where would you place AC Milan, which won Serie A, but is not playing in Europe? So I think if you make it to the final, you have to be rated the top two teams.

Andy: Will Roy Keane leave Manchester United for greener pastures next year? How big of a hole would that create for the Reds?

Tommy Smyth: I don't think so. I think Keane showed his commitment to Man U. by leaving his contract negotiations until the offseason so he could focus on what was happening on the field. Man U. has a chance to dominate for the next five years or so, I don't think it would be in his best interest to leave. He is making about $50,000 a week and for a kid from Cork, he is not doing too bad.

Mark: Will Roy Keane's absence be the difference?

George: First of all, my questions NEVER get selected! What do you think the absence of Roy Keane will mean for United?

Tommy Smyth: To George, your question has finally been answered.

I think the loss of Roy Keane will be major. But it can be overcome by a spirited display by the players Ferguson puts on the field. In 1968, when Man U. beat Benfica in the final, their captain for the year was Dennis Law. Unfortunately for Dennis, he was injured for the final. So Bobby Charlton had to step in and give a starring role and Man U. won the Cup. All we need now for history to repeat itself is Peter Schmeichel to star in his last game for Man U. and the fairy tale is complete.

Fred: Can the game end in a draw ? If so, will there we a replay or a shootout?

Tommy Smyth: No draw. In olden days the European Cup would go to a draw. If, at the end of 90 minutes we have a draw on Wednesday, there DEFINITELY won't be a shootout. We would go into two, 15-minute, sudden-death overtime periods (golden goal). If no winner is produced, then we got to penalty kicks.

Mike Hill: Hello Tommy, you little leprechaun. How do you think Dwight Yorke will do against the Bayern defense? I think the Man U. strikers are overrated, mostly due to the poor defending in the Premiership. Tell me, will Yorke "put one in the ol' onion bag"?

Tommy Smyth: Thank you, Mike, for recognizing that somewhere I do have a pot of gold. I think the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow tomorrow will go to Dwight Yorke. I don't think Lothar Matthaeus will be fit to handle the combination of Yorke and Andy Cole, who scored a combined 52 goals in competition this year.

Maybe the Premiership has bad defenders, but if Matthaeus plays like he did against the U.S. earlier in the year, Yorke and Cole will put several in the ol' onion bag.

Juan: Brazilian striker Elber saved Bayern from defeat against Manchester United in Group stage match at Munich. Will he be missed? Compare the goalkeeper Oliver Kahn we saw in his national side's 3-0 humiliation at the hand of the U.S. squad and the Kahn we will see tomorrow.

SMYTH'S FILE

Smyth joined ESPN in February 1993 as a soccer analyst for ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN International. He has called matches from leagues all over the world, and provided analysis of World Cup '98 from France for ESPN and ESPN2. Smyth is also the co-host of Latin Futbol Weekly, a weekly South American report aired weekly in the U.S. on ESPN2, and seen in more than 200 other countries via ESPN International. He also provides soccer analyst for ESPN2 Worldwide Soccer. In his time, Smyth has called over 450 international matches. He has also provided color commentaries on European championship qualifiers, the Copa Libertadores, the South American Super Cup, Brazilian national championships, the Dutch league, the Italian Super Cups and a multitude of World Cup qualifiers.

Tommy Smyth: No question Elber will be sorely missed.

One of the problems Kahn has had over his career is his inconsistency. But he has played very well in the Champions League. But, as you point out, he did have a disaster against the U.S. I chalk it up to "one of those days". I think he is one of the hottest keepers in the world right now. I think you can see the respect he gets from his teammates and the club by him being named captain.

If he does lapse into one of those days again, it could be a cakewalk for Man. U.

It it is a very unique situation tomorrow when both teams will be captained by their goalkeepers.

Joe: Why aren't you answering any of my questions? You seem like a nice guy on T.V. Bayern's midfield will destroy Man U.'s because of experience. What do you think?

Tommy Smyth: Ok Joe, here is your answer. I want you to continue to think I am a nice guy.

But I don't agree that Bayern's midfield will destroy Man U's. That is where the battle lines will be draw. Bayern have already announced that Markus Babbel will play on the right side of midfield to try and nullify Ryan Giggs' effect on the game. I don't think the final of one of the most important tournaments in the world is a good time to be making adjustments.

Admittedly, Stefan Effenberg has a lot of skill and is very strong. But I think Nicky Butt or Ronny Johnsen can a least contain him.

Bob Pankratz: It seems to me that there's one team that could knock off either Man U. or Bayern Munich with ease -- and that's Barcelona, with the way they're playing NOW. What do you think?

Tommy Smyth: The way they are playing NOW counts for nothing. In my earlier answer I said good teams get good results on the days they play. Barcelona had their chance. They were in the same group as both these teams this year. They didn't do the job then, so why would I feel they could do the job now?

Man U. went into the Nou Camp and scored three goals, which was a brilliant game. But at the end of the day all that counts is who qualified.

Barcelona is a tremendously talented team, but unfortunately for their fans they are not playing tomorrow.

John: Does Fergie play Beckham in the center of the park after his marvelous display on Saturday or does he go with Butt and Johnsen in the middle and Becks on the wing?

Tommy Smyth: I'm sure Beckham would like it if he did, but I don't think he will playing in the center on the Nou Camp, which is one of the biggest fields in the world.

I think Bayern playing three at the back provides Man U. a chance to dominate on the wings. We are already seeing the concern from Bayern about the play of these two men (Giggs and Beckham). Nobody in the world can cross the ball with the accuracy of Beckham. And on the left side Giggs can get in some telling blows also. So tomorrow I think Beckham will be running up and down the touchline.

Trent Klatt: Are you going to be biased tomorrow against Bayern when you are announcing tomorrow? Because from what I've heard so far, Bayern don't have a chance.

Tommy Smyth: Bias is not a word I understand. If an expressed opinion about something is bias, then I guess what I have said so far, I am biased for Man U. Obviously Bayern is a quality side, that is why they are in the finals. On any given day there is no such thing as a certainty in football.

I happen to feel that Manchester United are just right on the year. They scored 80 goals in the Premiership and I happen to feel that if Cole and Yorke get a good supply of the ball, they can score a few tomorrow. I don't think that is bias.

KellerFan: I see a Beckham free kick in the back of the net. Does United have the advantage on set plays?

Tommy Smyth: Yes, I would imagine, if there is an edge in that department, Man U. has it in Beckham. If you look at the overall stats, I think it points to a little more accuracy from Man U. all around. For the complete tournament, they had 68 shots on goal and scored 27 times. While Bayern had 72 shots netting 19 times.

Sam: How much do you think Bayern will miss Bixente Lizarazu, especially facing David Beckham on the wing? Do you think that Michael Tarnat can fill the gap?

Tommy Smyth: I think he will be a huge loss. Tarnat is obviously a very good player, but I think that at the ordering of Posh Spice, Beckham will give him a blistering. I don't think he can stay with Beckham's speed and I don't think he can depend on Sammy Kuffour to help out because his hands could be full with the Man U. strikers.

R. Webster: It's an honor to be in the presence of a football genius! The component that seems to be forgot in this matchup is that it's Schmeichel's last game for Man U. Do you anticipate him trying to do too much on some of the long crosses Bayern likes to use to get the ball to Carsten Jancker and making a fatal mistake?

Tommy Smyth: Thanks for the compliment.

It is an obvious danger for Schmeichel to do it all on his own. While he didn't have a bad game against Newcastle, he wasn't as safe as he usually is. The pressure tomorrow should be extreme. But how many times in life do you get to win the biggest prize in Europe in your very last game and get to captain the team as well? I think the Big Dane has one more good one in him and Man U. will hope it is tomorrow.

Louis: Were Bayern to get an early lead (a la Inter), do you think their defense would be strong enough to keep hold of it, or would Manchester's strike tandem be too much to keep down for 90 minutes?

Tommy Smyth: I think all you have to do is refer back to the Juventus game. Juventus had a two-goal lead after 10 minutes and Man U. still managed to stay in the game and eventually win it. Obviously in a final like this chances don't come too often. If you can get the lid-lifter, it is very helpful. But I can't see Bayern sitting on a one-goal lead. Against a free-flowing team like United, it is suicide.

If Bayern is to have any chance, they have to keep the ball out of their own defensive third of the field. By sitting back and inviting Man U. to attack, that would be courting disaster.

Marco: Collina will be the referee tomorrow, what do you think about him?

Tommy Smyth: I watched Mr. Collina in Serie A practically every Sunday. He is a very good referee. He will attempt to let the play flow. He is a referee who uses common sense as well as an application of the rules. And besides, Marco, if you have seen me before, we share the same barber.

Geoff: I was extremely impressed with David May's performance on Saturday morning in the FA Cup. Is there a chance that he will start the game as a precautionary measure in the interest of Jaap Stam's injured Achilles?

Tommy Smyth: I think it is a question that no one has touched on today. And that is the makeup of the Man U. back line. I have a feeling, as you point out, David May did enough to get a spot tomorrow. It seems Ronny Johnsen will be pushed into midfield to act as a holding midfielder. That would mean that Gary Neville would be in his right spot at right back. Dennis Irwin would get his slot at left back with Jaap Stam in the middle. Stam looked OK when he came on in the Cup final and I am sure that is what Ferguson wanted to do -- get a look at him. I don't think he will have any problems tomorrow.

KellerFan: Do the Reds have a weakness?

Tommy Smyth: Yes, the one weakness is that they have been allowing attackers to get in behind them. They give up a lot of goals in the group stage and it is the one place that they look vulnerable. People have made a lot out of Jaap Stam having to mark Carsten Jancker. I don't think it is such a big deal. Admittedly Jancker is big, strong and skillful, but Stam has plenty of experience every week in the Premiership marking similar type players. I think this will be to his advantage.

Omar: What time is the game tomorrow?

Tommy Smyth: 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2. Kickoff at 2:45 p.m. ET.

Navid Mirsaeidi: Will Ali Daei start the game against Man U.? Also, do you think Ali Daei, as told by some, should leave Bayern for greener pastures? My final question is about Juventus and their star player Del Piero. Is he doing alright and training again or is he still limping?

Tommy Smyth: I don't think Ali Daei will start tomorrow. The Iranian international is having a tough time cracking the front line on Bayern. He would probably benefit by playing everyday, but I don't see him leaving.

There is good and bad news on the Del Piero front. He is back training and not showing any effects from his terrible injury. The bad news is that there are serious rumors that he may be on his way out of Turin. Destination unknown.

Patrick: Who is United's key man for tomorrow? Who is Bayern's key man?

Tommy Smyth: United's key man could possibly be Ryan Giggs. This year he has shown that he is a money player -- scoring the big goals when Man U. needed them. I think Babbel will have a tough time coping with his ability tomorrow.

For Bayern, Stefan Effenberg is their key man, no question. On his day he can be brilliant in midfield pushing forward or setting up the plays himself. He also has a dark side -- remember the World Cup in 1994. Depending on which Effenberg shows up, that will be the key.

Kenny: Can you describe to a typical American what the atmosphere and pressure surrounding this game compares to by American sports standards? Bigger than the Super Bowl etc.?

Tommy Smyth: I believe it is bigger than the Super Bowl, especially for Manchester United. If you go back to 1958 when then-manager Matt Busby felt an English club should play in the European competition. This went against the lords of football in England. Unfortunately for Busby, on the way back from one of the games, Man U's plane crashed at the Munich airport, killing eight of the top players in England and injuring many more. Busby himself took almost a year to recover and always had a guilt feeling about what happened. His main target was to win the Champions League. It took him ten more years to do it and it was the only time Manchester United has won the championship.

Alex Ferguson has always lived in the shadow of his fellow Scottsman. He has won over 20 major trophies, but the Champions League is one that has eluded him. He admitted today that he would be gutted if Man U. would lose.

For Bayern things are a little different. They have won this Cup three times already. So the pressure will be on Man U. tomorrow.

Charging: By the way Tommy, you are going to acknowledge on the telecast tomorrow that Rangers won the Scots title over Celtic? I mean, last year you couldn't stop mentioning it when Celtic won.

Tommy Smyth: Sure I will mention that the Rangers won. I generally like to call the shots as they generally are and Rangers deserved the Championship this year. Don't ever be mistaken because I have a particular type of accent that you can stereotype me toward the teams I support. I don't believe that religious affiliations or nationalities should have a key role in the football team you support.

By the way, seeing that you did mention Celtic, they are the only team from Scotland that has won the Champions League. In fact, they were the first British Isle team to win it, in 1967. Let me add one more little fact. All the talk about Man U. and Bayern going for a treble, but not only did Celtic win the treble that year, they won the league Cup as well, making it the only time that any European club has won the four in one year.

A.E.K. Fan: Well, all I have to say is that I wouldn't be surprised if the surprise heroes of the game would be the goalkeepers. Also, what do you think about the growth of Greek soccer, with Olympiakos and A.E.K. Athens leading the charge?

Tommy Smyth: As I said earlier, it is a very unique situation where both teams will be captained by their goalkeepers. Schmeichel has already been named the best goalkeeper in the world and Oliver Kahn has been a great inspiration for Bayern and has led by example, especially again Dynamo Kiev. Tomorrow a big save by either one could lift either team to new heights.

Olympiakos were great standard bearers for Greece this year. No question about it, Greek football is on the rise again after the disaster at World Cup 1994. Next year Olympiakos could make it interesting in the Champions League once again.

That is all the time I have for now. Thanks to everyone for their patience. A special thanks to those who didn't get their questions answered.

Tomorrow it is a two horse race and at the end of 90 minutes it can go either way. But, like I have said all along, my money is on Manchester United, 2-0. I think it has the promise to be a great game and I hope everybody will be watching and cheering tomorrow. Take care, everyone.