Elber and Cafu loyal to old clubs

Giovane Elber and Cafu are backing their old clubs as FC Bayern München and AS Roma go head to head in the UEFA Champions League tonight.

Elber, who won the tournament with Bayern in 2001, and Cafu – a Roma player for six years before switching to AC Milan and aiding their 2007 triumph – have been in Munich this week in their role as ambassadors for the 2010 UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour, presented by UniCredit. Cafu, the man who raised the 2002 FIFA World Cup for Brazil, is giving Roma his full support.

"I am betting on Roma," Cafu, now 40, told UEFA.com. "I bet an espresso that Roma will win 2-1 tonight. But it will not be easy. Bayern are a very strong team, playing at home. Bayern are also used to this level of competition. But Roma have been doing well. They have brought in a lot of players to strengthen the squad. It will be a titanic duel."

His compatriot, 38-year-old former striker Elber, begs to differ. "This is the Champions League, it doesn't matter what team you are playing against, whether Roma or a team from Greece or Turkey – it will always be a hard game," he said. "But I think Bayern will win tonight, especially as they are at home."

As one of only a handful of players to have tasted victory in both Europe's premier club competition and the global national-team event, Cafu is well qualified to compare the two tournaments. "The Champions League is at the same level as a World Cup, just without the South American teams," he said. "This is a sensational level. I think after the national-team competitions, the Champions League is the place that unites the best teams in European football, and that says it all.

"It has great teams, a great environment, a great atmosphere and great organisation. It is very different. I can tell you, the Champions League, after the World Cup, is the most important competition for us sportsmen."