Champions League - Barcelona win the final

Eurosport - Thu, 28 May 10:40:00 2009

Samuel Eto'o and Lionel Messi scored the goals as Barcelona beat Manchester United 2-0 in the Champions League final in Rome.

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 Champions League Barcelona Trophy - 0

Cameroon international Eto'o struck after ten minutes and Messi added the second with a superb header 20 minutes from time.

United can have no complaints as they failed to find their usual fluency and defended hesitantly with many of their key performers well below-par.

Barcelona lifted the trophy for the third time in their history and matched United's own treble in 1999 as Pep Guardiola's men added Europe's premier competition to domestic League and Cup success.

The Catalan club scored with their first real attack after United started in electric fashion.

Andres Iniesta got past Anderson too easily and found Eto'o who cut inside Nemanja Vidic and toe poked the ball under Edwin van der Sar from close range.

Until then it had been all United.

After just two minutes Cristiano Ronaldo's 30-yard effort bounced viciously in front of Victor Valdes who spilled the effort and it required a superb block by former United defender Gerard Pique to deny Park Ji-sung a tap-in.

The Portuguese then volleyed just wide from 16 yards before United fell behind with Serb Vidic, named Barclays player of the year earlier in the day, culpable with a lackluster challenge.

Ronaldo looked to get his side back on terms and his run through on goal was ended by a Pique block for which he received a yellow card.

But Barca then began to boss the game and Messi came to the fore with a scorching drive just missing the top corner, with Van der Sar beaten, before Xavi curled a free-kick just over the top.

It was the 11th effort on goal in a frenetic opening half-hour.

United had an escape on the brink of half-time when Van der Sar spilled a low cross from Messi but there was no-one at the near post to capitalise and Sir Alex Ferguson gambled at the interval by replacing the ineffective Anderson with Carlos Tevez.

But Barca relished the extra space in midfield and twice came close to extending their advantage within the space of four minutes.

Iniesta sent Thierry Henry away down the left, in a big hole vacated by John O'Shea, and he turned Rio Ferdinand inside out before seeing his shot saved by the legs of Van der Sar.

Then a surging run from man-of-the-match Iniesta was ended a yard outside the penalty area by Vidic and Xavi curled the resulting free-kick around the wall and against the post.

United did regroup however and Ronaldo swung in a cross from the right which Yaya Toure completely missed only for the ball to bounce off the hard pitch and over the head of the unmarked Park six yards out.

Park was then replaced by Dimitar Berbatov as Ferguson threw caution to the wind with a 4-2-4 formation only to concede a second.

Patrice Evra hooked his clearance aimlessly to Xavi who picked out an unmarked Messi and the little Argentine climbed high to guide the ball past Van der Sar and into the far corner for his first goal against an English club.

United should have pulled a goal back almost immediately as the ball fell to Ronaldo at the far post only for Valdes to smother his shot.

Paul Scholes replaced Giggs and he was booked along with Ronaldo as United chased the game with the Premier League champions almost conceding a third when Carles Puyol's thumping header was saved by Van der Sar before the advancing Dutchman saved a shot from the Barca captain after the best move of the match.

Berbatov headed over from close range late on but there was no way back for United who failed in their bid to become the first team since Milan in 1990 to retain the European crown.

Victory for Barca also ended United's record 25-match unbeaten run in the competition and inflicted a first defeat in a European final on the Old Trafford club.

Lee Walker / Eurosport

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  1. AT LEAST UTD GOT THERE MORE THAN CAN BE SAID FOR THE­ LIVERSCUM AND CHELSKI LOT....ROFLMFAO...WHERE DID YOU­ DEAD BEATS GET.

    From L H, on Thu 28 May 11:05AM

  2. its quite straight forward the best team on the night­ won. i think its great the fact the the scousers­ highlight of the season is the fact that we only won­ three trophys not 4 . i hop benitez stays for life .­ wonderful season united looking forward to august­ already .

    From Nigel A, on Thu 28 May 11:03AM

  3. AS A UTD FAN I THINK WE PLAYED @#$% FOR SURE...BUT HEY­ YOU CAN'T WIN THEM ALL, ALL OF THE TIME...QUE­ SERRA, QUE SERRA, THERE'S ALWAYS NEXT YEAR..SO WELL­ DONE BARCELONA...STILL I ADMIRE BARCELONA FOR SAYING­ THAT UTD ARE THE GREATEST TEAM IN THE WORLD, IT SHOWS­ TO ME THAT THEY ARE MEN OF STANDING AND NOT LIKE OUR­ OWN COUNTRY PLAYERS LIKE SORE LOSERS LIVERPOOL, CHESLEA­ ETC.

    From L H, on Thu 28 May 11:02AM

  4. In the staduim of Football Gladiators - Barca's­ Spanish Armada have proved triumphant. - I am so­ pleased - the whole of Ghana (massive Chelsea fan base­ here) was celebrating last night. Manu U totally­ failed. You REDS were sooooo cocky leading up to the­ match - now your just red-faced. Wish I was in­ Merseyside last night! All Hail Barca.

    From Ibrahim Malaikah, on Thu 28 May 10:58AM

  5. so many comments from the loserfools this morning, it­ must be true, no-one has a job up there, perhaps some­ of you could apply to dust an empty trophy cabinet­ !
    reds till death do us part !

    From martinvford, on Thu 28 May 10:53AM

  6. you can't win, ha? we had just to options - be too­ defensive or too arrogant. right?

    From United, kids, wife, on Thu 28 May 10:49AM

  7. trevor, don't judge me by your standards, i thought­ chelsea were robbed but fans like you take away any­ sympathy left

    From United, kids, wife, on Thu 28 May 10:48AM

  8. The reason why Man United lost is that they were­ arrogant not to accept that Barcelona are better than­ them-tactics were poor from Fergi.He opted to much­ rampant Barca, which obviously lead to their down fall­ .WE aslo know that Man U's two previous Champions­ Leagues were Flukes.ha!ha!

    From Ronald, on Thu 28 May 10:44AM

  9. .ha ha as though manure really care about the outcome­ of­ the chelsea/barca semi until now, stop clutching­ at­ straws and take some responsibility for your own­­ actions you have no one to blame

    From trevorwilliamsformby, on Thu 28 May 10:31AM

  10. 221.Flood warning on merseyside as thousands of­ liverpool­ fans are still pissing themselves­­ laughing....Congratulations Barca you were­­ untouchable,ive said it before & i,ll say it again­­ Ronaldo cannot handle the big games on the the big­­ stage that is why he will stay with safe utd , he was­­ shown for what he is last night a one trick show pony

    From trevorwilliamsformby, on Thu 28 May 10:30AM

  11. when you walk through a storm hold your head up high­ and dont be afraid of the dark sing along elnino

    From Cameron, on Thu 28 May 10:29AM

  12. They said Chelsea was not good......Now I am convinced­ that Chelsea was the best side.....

    From Peter, on Thu 28 May 10:28AM

  13. I like if you realize your not skilled and young for a­ particulars
    Thanks gose to Rooney for having played­ well without any probs and admitting that what Barca­ did were better than what Man United did.

    Peace be­ with you guyz

    From ANYAMA, on Thu 28 May 10:27AM
  14. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    ManU The Best!!! F U All !!!

    From vitolsugis, on Thu 28 May 10:19AM

  15. asanshe, if we are losers then who are you? what you­ talk is not a banter mate, just insults and sour­ grapes. i know it hurts to be a Liverscumian but get a­ grip! on and on and on about how good you're gonna­ be, every one is well fed up with it. even you must­ know it's utter blx, 20 years ffs!

    From United, kids, wife, on Thu 28 May 10:18AM

  16. PHIL.LEE32 - My explanation for that one is that Messi­ is best player in the world! plain and simple!

    United­ forever

    From Damien, on Thu 28 May 10:16AM

  17. That is what fantstic teams normally dose, you 'll­ remain stand when your interest is disorganized,­ lossing 's must to any body and we 've loss­ acept it.
    "5 mins. touch" touth them again­ and again till the end.
    Barca. the heros of the­ nite

    Big Guns have admitted that 2-O. DEF.

    From ANYAMA, on Thu 28 May 10:16AM

  18. All manure/liverfool etc apart they played you off the­ pitch and how a midget rose majesticaly to head the­ second defies belief???. All you mancs out there­ explain that one!!!!!

    From Phil, on Thu 28 May 10:12AM

  19. did i hear man u lost that's more like it wake up­ man u you have just proven you cant be better then­ Liverpool no matter what should you wish to see the cup­ come to anfield and we shall show you wot cups­ are.

    All roads led to Rome,
    But they couldnt come out­ of­ Rome,
    They thought they could win it all,
    But just­ like­ the rest they fall,
    and in the end they won­ f...all. Dame right Ziya LOL

    From Adam S, on Thu 28 May 10:11AM

  20. It has been fantastic for Barca; otherwise I wish to­ cong.both club coz it's n't easy to reach such­ a final point. for i wish to advise MU fans n't to­ blame any player and or management coz the standard of­ football they play is played only in England and the­ statistic has shown that it's only Arsenal and pool­ who plays fantistic ball barca Played.
    I am an Arsenal­ fan but in Spanish club I love Barca coz Barca consider­ any player regardless of color (Blacks) but go to MU­ BLKs 're hardly seen in the pic.

    Gilbert
    Very­ strong fan of Big Guns.

    From ANYAMA, on Thu 28 May 10:00AM
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