The hand of history appeared to be resting lightly on the shoulders of Alex Ferguson and his Manchester United players yesterday as they made ready for this evening's European Cup final against Bayern Munich in Barcelona.

Closeted in a hotel in Sitges, some 20 miles outside the city, the players have been incommunicado since arriving on Monday for the final assault on the unprecedented treble of European, FA Cup and Premiership successes.

That was until five o'clock yesterday afternoon when Ferguson took along two of his players, Gary Neville and Dwight Yorke, to face the international press and run the gauntlet of hundreds of United supporters jostling outside the team hotel for even the briefest glimpse of their heroes.

As it transpired, they fielded no more than three innocuous questions between them before making good their escape. Yet, the impression was of players full of self-belief with few doubts.

"Of course, there is tension but I'm a light-hearted guy anyway," said Yorke. "At this stage of the season we have to believe that if we get it right on the night we are capable of beating anybody. But I imagine the Germans have exactly the same thoughts."

Ferugson, suitably loquacious but evasive as ever in the context of his likely team selection, was keen to stress the delicate balance of the game as United and Bayern, two of the enduring powers of club football, seek to fill the vacuum created by the eclipse of the Italian giants.

"After two drawn games this season there is precious little that either team doesn't know about the other," he said. "Like us, they know the threats, the pattern of play and the tactics to be adopted.

"It's a final waiting for just one individual to change it. Hopefully he will be wearing the red shirt of Manchester United."

Across the city some three hours earlier, Stefan Effenburg, Bayern's influential midfielder, was making much the same point. "Both teams are on the same level and tomorrow there can only be a lucky winner. It may be decided on penalties and then anything can happen."

That's a prospect which is unlikely to appeal to the rival supporters converging on Barcelona in their tens of thousands for yet another extravaganza in a city not unaccustomed to playing host to the sporting world.

At least some of them are Irish, attracted not just by the hope of United bridging a 31-year-old gap since their only other European cup success, but by the spectacle of Denis Irwin achieving the crowning honour in a splendid career. Unfortunately there will be no Roy Keane to inspire the English champions or intimidate the Germans after a double suspension which also puts Paul Scholes out of bounds.

Inevitably, the name of United's wounded captain surfaced more than once during the press conferences. "Keane is a very important player who gave us problems in our earlier games," said Effenburg. "But his absence will not weaken Manchester too much because they have a very good squad."

Ferguson on Keane was suitably effusive. "He's been our driving force this season and when he has played well the team has done well. His absence is a huge blow, but at this point I prefer to dwell on the fact that our strike-force is still intact."

There was a feeling after the FA Cup final last Saturday that Teddy Sheringham had done enough at Wembley to warrant a place in the starting line-up. Now there appears to be a growing consensus that the manager will stay with the men who made it all possible for him in the first place and name Yorke and Andy Cole at the front of his team.

Yorke, undeniably, has slipped some way from the form which invariably took him into the right positions at precisely the right time for so many important goals when United were playing better than they are now. And there was little in last Saturday's game after he had replaced Cole to suggest that he is back on song again.

Sheringham, by contrast, appears to have re-emerged from his mid-season trauma to offer the option of a sharp finisher with a strong presence in the penalty area. These are assets, however, which Ferguson may well opt to keep in reserve, preferring instead to entrust the task of making the early breakthrough to the men who have served him so well this season.

Shoring up central midfield in the absence of Keane and Scholes is a challenge designed to tax even Ferguson's ingenuity. Switched to a central role against Newcastle last Saturday, David Beckham produced his best performance in more than a month. Yet, it is scarcely conceivable that United will dispense with the precision crossing which has enabled Cole and Yorke to indulge their talents so often. The more likely permutation is that David May will partner Jaap Stam in central defence, with Ronny Johnsen joining Nicky Butt in the engine room at midfield.

No less than Ferguson, Bayern's coach Ottmar Hitzfeld must commit himself to battle without one of his most inspirational players as Bixente Lizarazu has long since conceded in his fight for fitness, robbing the team of one of the stars of France '98. Markus Babbel, earlier designated for a place in the back three, may now be shunted to the right side of midfield for the challenge of restricting Ryan Giggs who, in Keane's absence, is now perceived by the Germans as the biggest threat to their hopes.

That would leave Thomas Linke and Samuel Kuffour playing on either side of the indestructible Lothar Matthaus at the back with Jens Jeremies joining Effenburg in the pivotal roles in midfield.

Even at 38, Matthaus is still a superb defender with a proven track record on the big occasion. Together with Effenburg and the two front men, Carsten Janckler and Alexander Zickler, he may well present the English champions with their most pressing problems on the night.

For Peter Schmeichel, captaining United on his last appearance for the club, it promises to be a night like few others in his long career.

Manchester United supporters will not be alone in hoping that when the Great Dane takes his final curtain, he will do so with the precious silverware safely secure.