Following on from our Twitter #ask sessions with Willy Sagnol and Giovane Elber, two more UEFA Champions League winners dropped in to answer your questions today – former Real Madrid CF pair Steve McManaman and Christian Karembeu. Here’s what they had to say.

UEFA.com: Welcome to the UEFA Champions Festival, what are your initial thoughts?

Steve McManaman: First and foremost, I think Munich’s a wonderful city. The weather’s certainly come out today in the Olympiapark – and it’s just a fantastic event, so really happy to be here.

Christian Karembeu: Personally, we are always a family, and we are very proud to be here to participate in the festival.

Pawel Sikora @Pawel9412: Who do you think is going to win the Champions League this year?

Karembeu: I think Bayern have the advantage being at home – so I think Bayern will win; and for the Englishmen – Chelsea will win.

McManaman: As Christian rightly says, you would presume the fact that it’s in Munich that Bayern would have a slight advantage, but watching Chelsea at close quarters they’ve done really well under Roberto Di Matteo. They’ve just won the FA Cup and are in good form – it’s just whether the form players that Chelsea are going to miss through suspension will cost them. But I think it’s going to be close, closer than people think.

Dan Ross @FootballDan: Can you put into words the experience of playing in a Champions League final? What is it like?

Karembeu: It’s just magical. For me it was my first really big title; just magical.

McManaman: Likewise, I think it’s the biggest club football match you will have – playing for Liverpool, with a history of European Cup competitions, then Madrid with the Champions League. We’ve lost finals in the past so when you do win a final as big as the Champions League, it’s an unforgettable memory.

Scott Shannon @scottshannon26: Who is the best player you ever played with?

Karembeu: Of course it is Steve McManaman! With the national team, it was Zizou [Zinédine Zidane] and another team-mate I would say [Clarence] Seedorf.

McManaman: I played with the likes of Paul Gascoigne in an England shirt and John Barnes. Of course, I think it’s easy to say one of the greatest players in the world was Zinédine Zidane without a shadow of a doubt and up there as well is Robbie Fowler. He was a superstar.

Ged Mcardle @captaindeadbeat: Who was the better finisher? Raúl González or Robbie Fowler?

McManaman: (Laughs) I couldn’t choose between them! They’re both friends of mine, they’re both absolute superstars, and it’s impossible to choose because they’ve both got the same, great, great qualities.

Red Duckling @RedDuckling: What is your best memory from your career in Greece at Olympiacos?

Karembeu: For me, I discovered the culture and the philosophy – it was very nice. I moved there from England and have to say England was a great experience for me with great people. I am very proud to have played there and to have taken part today.

UEFA.com: England and France are in the same group at EURO. How do you see your teams doing?

Karembeu: I think we [France] are in good shape. We are in a good moment, because we haven’t lost in 18 games. We had two difficult games against Germany and Brazil and won. For sure against England it will be difficult for us, but I’m sure we can go far.

McManaman: As Christian rightly said, France are playing very well. I watched them recently beat Germany and everyone knows how good the German side are. On the other hand, England are going into the tournament as big underdogs really. Normally everyone thinks we are going to win and of course we struggle. For the first time in a long time – and with Wayne Rooney missing the first two games – we are not anticipating much at all, which could be a good thing.

Article source: http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/newsid=1798996.html?rss=1798996+McManaman+and+Karembeu+answer+your+tweets

Blog: Live blog

Article source: http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/blogs/blog=blog_liveblog/postid=1799140.html?rss=1799140+Where+will+you+watch+the+Champions+League+final?

The UEFA Champions League Final opening ceremony at the Fußball Arena München tonight will feature singer Jonas Kaufmann performing a new version of the official UEFA Champions League theme.

This version was written specially for the event by Matt Clifford. Kaufmann will be lip-synching to a pre-recorded vocal performance because of a medical condition. The UEFA Champions League theme has been incorporated into a new piece which reflects both the host city and the European nature of the competition.

Kaufmann, a local man brought up in the Bogenhausen area of Munich, is being joined for the ceremony by another virtuoso, Aachen-born violinist David Garrett. Kaufmann is a keen FC Bayern München fan. Due to his medical condition, he is unable to sing live, but he is happy to make his contribution by lip-synching to his pre-recorded tape.

The thousands of fans in the stadium plus millions watching all over the world on TV will therefore still be able to hear the marvellous voice that has graced several successful albums, as well as in leading roles in works such as Carmen, Tosca and Lohengrin.

The UEFA Champions League theme, written by British composer Tony Britten, has given the competition a memorable aural identity since 1992.

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Member associations

• German Football Association
• The Football Association

Team profiles

• FC Bayern München
• Chelsea FC

Article source: http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/newsid=1799190.html?rss=1799190+New+Champions+League+theme+version