Barcelona and Manchester United could already lay claim to being the two finest sides on the continent before this season, having each made it through to the final twice in the past five years.
They have confirmed their standing at the top of the game this term after dominating their respective domestic competitions, whilst progressing to this stage of the UEFA Champions League with little difficulty.
Barcelona cruised through a group also containing FC Copenhagen, Rubin Kazan and Panathinaikos, before overturning a first-leg deficit to knock out Arsenal in the last 16.
An emphatic victory over Shakhtar Donetsk in the quarter-finals was followed by an eagerly-awaited tie against rivals Real Madrid, when Lionel Messi's brilliance shone out in an otherwise fiery and controversial affair.
Manchester United came out ahead of Valencia, Rangers and Bursaspor in their group and were rewarded with a clash against Marseille in the next round.
Having beaten the Frenchmen and then held off the challenge of Chelsea in the quarter-finals, United hammered Schalke to take their place in this weekend's showpiece.
Sir Alex Ferguson's men also clinched the Premier League title in impressive fashion, while Barcelona collected a staggering 96 points in winning the Primera Liga.
But even though both sides have had successful seasons, it is the outcome of Saturday's final in London that will determine how fondly the 2010/11 campaign is remembered by each set of supporters.
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