Barcelona will have the tag of 'Champions of Europe' for the next year at least after taking all the glory with a 3-1 victory over Manchester United at Wembley where they showed why the world calls them the greatest team ever seen.
Pedro broke the deadlock with a deft finish before Wayne Rooney sent the teams in level at half time but the game was won thanks to Lionel Messi, who else, and David Villa, giving Eric Abidal the chance to raise the giant trophy aloft, just ten weeks after having surgery to remove a tumour from his liver, a true footballing fairytale
The Manchester United team news was the first to come through the wire and it saw Sir Alex Ferguson employ the tried and tested 4-4-2 formation. Rooney started up front, partnering the Mexican Javier Hernandez while Ryan Giggs and Michael Carrick were both preferred to Darren Fletcher in the centre of midfield, the Scotsman's comeback from illness coming perhaps too quickly for European football's biggest match. Park started on the left, his tireless work down the right being employed to tame the marauding Daniel Alves. Antonio Valencia started on the other wing and the back line was made up of Fabio, Ferdinand, Vidic and Evra, Edwin Van Der Sar taking his place in goal for one final fling with the professional game.
Javier Mascherano, once sent off against United for Liverpool, began the game in the centre of defence, partnering ex-Reds defender Gerard Pique. The midfield was as expected, Sergio Busquets doing the dirty work in the central three, allowing Xavi and Iniesta the freedom to express themselves and impact the game. The front line of Barca also came as no surprise, the irrepressible world footballer of the year Lionel Messi sat in between Pedro and David Villa.
From the get go Manchester United came out and set their stall, hustling and harrying Dani Alves, dispossessing the full back in the opening minute, although as the game closed they were noticably tired, their containing plan taking it's toll after a long season. To start with Barcelona looked edgy, the loose balls weren't falling their way and the odd pass was going awry.
But as in Rome two years ago the opening dominance of United was soaked up the the Catalan's as David Villa forced a corner, taken short and leading to a shout of handball against Evra in the penalty area, though the decision would have been undoubtedly harsh. It was Barca who had the first true effort on goal, Pedro getting in behind Vidic and volleying wide of the upright from a wide ball.
Barca were starting to step up to their flowing best and the challenges from the United midfield, though biting in their nature, were finding nothing but the fresh Wembley air as the sharpness of their oppositions maestros allowed them to dodged the flying feet. The possession was mounting in favour of the Spaniards and they were beginning to create chances too, David Villa twice having time to shoot wide from the edge of the box while the passing rhythm was starting to slice through the English sides defence, last ditch challenges being the order of the day as Messi began finding himself within 15 yards of their goal, and eventually the pressure told, Barcelona made the breakthrough.
Xavi Hernandez, the string puller in the metronomic attacking unit of the Spanish champions, was afforded too much time and space to push forward and a pin-point diagonal pass with the outside of his left boot found Pedro with a clear sight of goal and he made no mistake, Van Der Sar the first man to lose his nerve as he went the wrong way, Pedro rolling the ball coolly in at the near post. Barcelona, much like their fanbase behind Valdes' goal, were bouncing.
Just minutes later, though, it was all square, United providing a quintessentially Barcelona goal. Wayne Rooney clipped a ball though to Ryan Giggs who, though suspiciously loitering on the offside line, laid the ball back to Rooney who finished in typically emphatic fashion, guiding the ball into the top corner with his instep, perfectly controlled in his technique.
As soon as you like the status quo was back, Barcelona were pushing forward and David Villa stung the hands of Van Der Sar before twice the Catalan's were the length of a stud away from retaking the lead, Pedro the first to fail to connect, that after a cleverly worked free kick, while the final chance of the half fell the way of Lionel Messi who attempted a give and go, but his go was just not quick enough.
The second half began where the first left off, more possession and short, incisive passing from Barcelona, Dani Alves having the first chance of the half, finding a way into the box only to shoot at Van Der Sar's legs, and there was no stop to it, United were not given any respite and they soon fell behind again.
Lionel Messi dropped deep and received a pass from Xavi, shooting as quick as a flash and catching the Red Devil's custodian off guard, finding the back of the net with a sweetly struck, left footed effort, right in front of the jubilant Barca faithful. It was his first goal on English soil and he couldn't have found a bigger ocassion in which to score it.
The Argentinian magician wasn't finished there, though as he weaved his way into yet another shooting position from where he made Van Der Sar drop swiftly onto his side to keep out a stinging low effort. And just a couple of minutes later he was bringing the ball forward yet again, eventually getting on the end of a Dani Alves pull back with a backheel flick that was only stopped on the line by United boot.
There were no bones about it, Messi was running the game, and after two beautiful pieces of skill he burst into the box, the ball breaking to David Villa on the edge of the area and the former Valencia striker made it 3-1 with an exquisite curling effort that swung around the arms of Van Der Sar and with that it was all over. Not that anyone had told Wayne Rooney that, the bulldog forward landing an effort onto the roof of the net.
The three minutes of added time were all but meaningless in the grand scheme of things, Ibrahim Afellay's late strike would have only rubbed United's face in the dirt had it been hit a sight more verve. But on a night when the speed and presence of mind shown by the Barcelona players was by far superior nobody could have complained about the final score, they had claimed club footballs ultimate prize with club footballs ultimate team. That's not to discredit the effort shown by England's champions, they played a massive part in the showpiece event that fans had dreamed of, Barcelona's majesty was just too much for them to handle.
Indeed, the world stands to them, lauds them, and rightly so, they have claimed the glory tonight and they won't be stopping there.
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