It's early days in the 2011 UEFA Champions League final, but already Manchester United are looking very solid and very able to frustrate Barcelona as they stifle their attack. Barcelona is very much a team reliant on getting into a rhythm, which they will certainly do better as the match goes on, but they've struggled to do so early on. Much of that has to do with the play of Park Ji-Sung on the left wing. 

Park is a staple in the United lineup in UEFA Champions League competition due to his high work rate, strength, pace, and excellent tackling ability for a winger, but he's really brought his game early on. He's been deployed on the left to help shut down Daniel Alves and Lionel Messi, and in the opening ten minutes of the match, he's done just that. Alves and Messi are likely to have an impact eventually, while it's hard to believe Park can go full speed for 90 minutes, but his work to start the game has been extremely impressive. He looks like a monster out there on the left.

For news, opinion, and feature articles leading up to the UEFA Champions League final, bookmark this StoryStream and check it often. We'll have new posts right here throughout the week, during the game, and after the game. For more on the entire world of football, check out SB Nation Soccer. Manchester United fans should head over to The Busby Babe, while Barcelona fans should check out Barca Blaugranes.