Raúl ready to deliver

'Unique situation' 
Clearly, the UEFA Champions League final is not just another game. Players are programmed to look ahead to their next match. But according to the Spanish international, the Glasgow showdown is "THE match". "Although this is the third time I have played in a Champions League final, I cannot compare it with anything else, it is a unique situation," he said.

Lauding Leverkusen 
What makes it so special, it seems, is Bayer Leverkusen - "a very serious team, tough and well organised as you would expect of a German side". That, though, is where the stereotype ends. "From midfield to attack, they have great quality," Raúl explained, "with great players such as [Michael] Ballack, who is a very talented player with an eye for goal. Then there's Zé Roberto, [Ulf] Kirsten..."

'Bayer deserve it' 
Not then your average 1. Bundesliga outfit. "Bayer are in the final because they deserve to be. They only lost the Bundesliga [title] at the last moment and they will want to give their supporters something to smile about." Leverkusen's debt to their fans increased as they lost the German Cup final on Saturday. They now risk going down in the modern sporting vernacular as "chokers".

Centenary trophy? 
A dubious charge, yes. But one of which Madrid might also be guilty. They failed to win their last two finals - the European/South American Cup against Club Atlético Boca Juniors, and this year's Copa del Rey against RC Deportivo La Coruña at the Santiago Bernabéu of all places. And with the league gone to Valencia CF, the Champions League is their last chance to cap their centenary with silver.

Attitude problem
"I am more worried about our attitude than Leverkusen. If we play to our full potential it will be hard to lose," Raúl said. "Though we lost the Spanish Cup final, we deserved to win. In the league, we were there or thereabouts until the end. We lost too many points away from home - otherwise we could have won the title. But in Europe we could not have done any better," he concluded.

'La novena'
Consequently, Madrid are a game away from their ninth success in Europe's top club competition - the much-talked-about "novena". Raúl already has two winner's medals having played in the finals against Juventus FC in 1998 and Valencia CF in 2000. Two very different finals.

Paris match
"The Paris final we enjoyed a lot," Raúl recalled. "We had had excellent results against some very big teams [FC Bayern München and Manchester United FC]. Then we played a Spanish team, Valencia, and I did not want that match to end.

A final wish
"The final against Juventus was special too," he continued. "It was unbelievable. We had spent all year thinking about it. We really wanted to win. But we suffered a lot and wanted the match to end as soon as possible. We saved our season." What Raúl would give for a similar outcome this time round.