ROME is known as the Eternal City, so if Manchester United retain the Champions League trophy in the Italian capital this evening, the site of their triumph could hardly be more fitting.

Finally, after more than a decade of trying, Sir Alex Ferguson has established a European dynasty that looks like going on and on.

For all his celebrations at the capture of an 18th domestic title earlier this month, Ferguson cherishes European success with a fervour he rarely displays in relation to the English game.

Winning the Premier League is about settling shortterm scores – beating the whole of Europe is about securing a place in history.

In Ferguson’s eyes, Moscow, 12 months ago, was a minimum requirement. It delivered a third European Cup to Old Trafford, hardly a total to be sniffed at, but not exactly an appropriate return for a club of United’s status.

After all, prior to their success over Chelsea, United had been no more successful than Nottingham Forest or Porto.

Win again this evening, however, and they will be one European Cup behind Liverpool.

Still not ideal, but surely a much fairer reflection of Manchester United’s dominance during most of the last two decades.

Real Madrid’s total of nine trophies will still be a long way off in the distance, but to borrow a phrase Ferguson has used at length this week, England’s champions will have entered a “pantheon of greatness”.

Given that tourists will spend this afternoon flocking to Rome’s Pantheon, a monument to the city’s illustrious dead, the Stadio Olimpico would seem as good a place as any to cement Manchester United’s status as one of Europe’s all-time greats.

It will not, however, be easy.

Barcelona stand in their way, and the Spanish champions regard European success as their birthright in exactly the same way as their opponents.

Having spent their entire 110-year history taking on the Spanish establishment, the pride of the Catalan nation will hardly flinch in the face of a seemingly unstoppable English force.

They have overcome one before, most notably when they saw off Arsenal in the Champions League final two seasons ago, and under the inspirational tutelage of Pep Guardiola, they are capable of repeating the trick.

In Lionel Messi, Samuel Eto’o and Thierry Henry, who is battling to overcome a ligament injury in time for tonight’s game, Barca boast a strike force that is even more star-studded than United’s.

Yet for all of Barcelona’s talent, and for all that they romped to the Spanish title with a century of goals, they will suffer a shock to the system tonight.

Manchester United have developed a team for all occasions.

Tonight, in a city that has conferred greatness on so many through the years, United can rightly be crowned champions of Europe.