Barça seek salvation from 'Sant Leo'

With their city celebrating St George's Day today, FC Barcelona supporters are looking to Lionel Messi to emulate their patron saint and ride to their rescue.

Catalan identity
A cartoon in Sport newspaper has the young Argentinian, spear in hand on horseback, ready to go into battle under the title "Sant Leo". Saint George, or Jordi as he is known locally, is said to have slain the dragon that once terrorised the inhabitants of a Catalonian village and has become a symbol of Catalan identity. As Barcelona look to save a disappointing campaign in their UEFA Champions League semi-final against Manchester United FC, it is to the 20-year-old Argentinian that supporters are pinning their hopes.

Unhappy memories
History is at least on their side. United have never defeated Barcelona here and the last time they played them on a major Saints day they lost 4-0. That, aptly for United, was the Day of the Dead, All Saints' Day, 1 November 1994. They will be hoping St George's Day – or as it is known here la Diada de Sant Jordi –  proves more auspicious. Both England and Catalonia share the patron saint George, but while the English do little to mark the occasion, the Barceloneses celebrate it in style. Tradition has it that on la Diada de Sant Jordi men offer women a rose, while women give men a book. St George's Day falls on the same day as Catalonia's Dei del Llibre (Book Day) and Las Ramblas, the main artery that dissects the old town, was lined with book sellers and flower stalls as locals packed the street to make their purchases.

'Playing for everything'
Whether the Barceloneses will still be celebrating come full-time tonight remains to be seen. Barça are used to being favourites, but that mantle has been passed on to the English champions following the home side's dramatic Primera División slump. "Barça! Barça! Baaarça!" screams the banner headline in Sport newspaper, like a wake-up call to the 2006 champions. With hopes of catching Real Madrid CF in the title race all but gone, it warns: "Tonight we are playing for everything."

Visitors add colour
United still have the Premier League title within their grasp as manager Sir Alex Ferguson tightens his grip on a tenth championship. It is the European crown, though, that means most and visiting fans were also in celebratory mood as they basked in the warm sun down in the city's Olympic Port. A fan park has been set up by the beach with a big screen to show the game for those not fortunate enough to get a ticket.

'Incredible feeling'
Ian Woodley, one of an estimated 7,000 United supporters to have made the trip, warned against writing off Barcelona and is well-placed to judge. He has been coming to the city to cheer on United for nearly a quarter of a century, watching them lose here in 1984 and 1994 then produce a mesmerising performance in a 3-3 draw in 1998. Nothing, though, can compare with 1999. "Indescribable," he said of United's breathtaking added-time comeback to win the UEFA Champions League against FC Bayern München in the Camp Nou. "We knew time was up but didn't how much was left, we lost track. We made the substitutions and scored the first goal and a lot of people don't remember a thing after that. I remember feeling very numb – an incredible feeling. But suddenly we knew we would win." Ole Gunnar Solskjær was United's hero that night. Will Messi come to Barça's rescue tonight?