Van Bommel eager to make his mark

Mark van Bommel is adamant FC Barcelona will not change their attacking style when they meet Arsenal FC in Paris, but that is no disrespect to the London club.

First final
The Dutch international is savouring his first UEFA Champions League final after missing out last season when he was part of the PSV Eindhoven team defeated in the semi-finals by AC Milan. A year later and Van Bommel is preparing for the biggest match of his career after moving from the Philips Stadion to the Camp Nou last summer. After settling into Frank Rijkaard's side, the bustling midfielder has impressed in helping the club he admired as a boy to their fifth European Champion Clubs' Cup final.

Fast pace
Van Bommel has adapted to the fast pace of the Blaugrana system and is confident Rijkaard's tactics would be good enough to overcome any team in Paris. "We always play our own game. We do it at home and we do it away, it does not matter who the opponent is," he explained. "We are going to play our normal game and then we shall see. It is a good sign for us that everybody knows how we play. We love to attack and people like to watch us. Everybody loves Barcelona."

Major names
Despite Barça attempting to divert attention from their Brazilian star, Ronaldinho has hogged the pre-match headlines. While Van Bommel recognises that the encounter is about more than just Ronaldinho and Arsenal's outstanding talent, Thierry Henry, he is a big fan of his team-mate. "Ronaldinho is the best player I have ever played with," he said. "It is difficult to say how great he is, but everyone knows how well he is playing."

'Dream come true'
Having spent 12 months in Catalonia, the former SC Fortuna Sittard playmaker is well aware of the magnitude of the club and its expectations. But then he should know, having enjoyed family holidays in the Barcelona area as a child. "As a boy I was a Barça fan," he said. "My dad bought me a shirt every year and we came here on holidays, so for me to play for the team is a dream come true."

European ambition
With Rijkaard's men enjoying great domestic success - retaining the Spanish title two weeks ago - Van Bommel is now keen to write another chapter in the Barça history books. "A club as big as Barcelona should have won the UEFA Champions League more, that is for sure," the 29-year-old said, before reflecting on the occasions, in 1961, 1986 and 1994, that they fell at the last hurdle. "They have reached the final three times and lost, and won it once, and now is time to make history. We have to win. We have already won the league and the Super Cup in Spain, but we want more."