Anyway I think I know what I needed to know. It is probably clear already but I see Pol having the advantage in this tactical battle.
What hasn't been spoken much of yet - and is much bigger issue IMO than this whole width and all - is conceding possession against Zidane and Redondo, who can literally take the piss out of any midfield with their passing and link up, and create numerous chances. With players with end product waiting ahead of them that's one deadly combination, probably the best in this draft in terms of CM-AM when on the ball. Zidane also enjoyed playing with Roberto Carlos and using his surprise overlaps to unlock defenses (Fenomeno's second goal in that OT hat trick a perfect example of how a packed defense was cut open by two players - Zidane and Carlos), and Alaba can provide that.
I'm not a huge fan of Bale but the way he has transformed himself into a matchwinner is commendable. I've watched that transformation live when he visited Gerland, spent the first half doing nothing on the flank, then came inside and after that virtually every touch he took looked a danger. He's been great at Madrid as well.
I think Balu should have kept Frings for a situation like this. Effenberg isn't a DM, and keeping him to mark one man isn't using him well, so in this case you needed a very simple "give him one job, never leave Zidane" job, which Frings would have done, without making Sammer having to make decisions every second on who to mark.
The way I see it, it would be really hard to break down Balu, given the class in his back 5 and the tough mentality, but over the course of the game I expect Zidane and Redondo to conjure up a chance or two catching his defense not ready to cover all bases and you don't get better composure in front of goal than Eto'o's.
Bit sad really as I really like both these teams, but I think this is one of the worst teams Balu could have hoped for, tactically.