Barcelona crowned KING OF EUROPE in Rome
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ROME - Barcelona deposed Manchester United as European champions with a 2-0 victory forged by a superb display of controlled attacking soccer in the Champions League final on Wednesday.
Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o struck the opener against the run of play after 10 minutes at the Stadio Olimpico when he cut past Nemanja Vidic with surprising ease and sent a low shot past United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar at his near post.
Argentina's Lionel Messi added the second with a rare, and perfectly timed header after 70 minutes, sealing Barcelona's third European Cup win after their successes in 1992 and 2006.
Victory also completed a European and domestic treble for Barca in an extraordinary first season for coach Pep Guardiola, who ended Alex Ferguson's dreams of making United the first side to retain the European Cup in the Champions League era.
The match, hailed as a "dream final" between two of Europe's greatest clubs, could not live up to its expectations because United were so far below their best.
They did have their chances, especially in the first 10 minutes, but they could not reproduce the power, authority and precise passing that had already brought them three trophies over the course of the season, including the Premier League title.
United manager Alex Ferguson told ITV afterwards: "I think the first goal was a killer for us. We had plenty of time, we had some half-chances in the second half but in fairness we were beaten by a better team."
MISSING PLAYERS
Barcelona's victory was all the more notable as they were without suspended full-backs Eric Abidal and Daniel Alves as well as the injured Rafael Marquez.
Andres Iniesta, despite not being fully fit, dominated the midfield battle alongside Xavi and helped prise United's grip from the trophy they won against Chelsea in Moscow last year.
Xavi, voted Man of the Match, cracked a free kick against a post at the start of the second half and his link play with his team mates frustrated United once Barcelona had taken a grip on the game with the early goal from Eto'o.
That Eto'o strike shocked United, who had started so brightly as they attempted to extend a record 25-match unbeaten run in the competition.
Cristiano Ronaldo had three chances, the best being a second-minute free kick which Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes failed to hold.
The ball bounced out of his grip but Park Ji-sung could not get to it in time and Barca's immense skipper Carles Puyol cleared for a corner.
Ronaldo's influence faded as Messi's grew and it was the Barca man who came out top in the battle of the playmakers.
He dazzled and jigged his way through United's ponderous defence and his sweet touches and intelligent movement were another key to Barcelona's victory.
United's usual match winners, like Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney, were also strangely peripheral and even Carlos Tevez, who replaced the ineffective Anderson at half-time, had little influence.
Thierry Henry, Messi and Eto'o - whose combined scoring total for the season is an astonishing 96 goals - could all have added more as Barcelona finished the match in complete command.
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Messi the master as Ronaldo flops in Rome
ROME - Lionel Messi was hailed by his coach as the world's best player after he scored Barcelona's second goal in their 2-0 Champions League final victory over Manchester United and ended as the competition's top scorer.
The match in Rome had been hyped as a duel between the world's two best players, Argentine Messi and United's Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ronaldo was largely ineffective apart from an early flourish and it was Messi who came out on top, scoring his ninth goal of the Champions League campaign and improving his chances of snatching away his rival's FIFA World Player of the Year crown.
"This is the most important win of my life," Messi told reporters. "I am the happiest man alive and I am happy for myself, for my family and for my country."
Barca coach Pep Guardiola said Messi had been superb for the Primera Liga champions all season, helping not only with goals but also with plenty of assists.
"He has done great," he told a news conference. "I think he is the best player and we didn't need to win to know he is the best."
It might have been different if a dipping Ronaldo freekick in the second minute had slipped through the arms of Barca goalkeeper Victor Valdes instead of rebounding away from goal.
As well as the freekick, he had a couple of early shots but then drifted out of the match and was booked late on for an unnecessary barge on Barca captain Carles Puyol.
FORLORN FIGURE
He cut a forlorn figure trudging up last to collect his runners-up medal and was loudly whistled by the Barca fans.
"I don't have any problems with anyone and I never will. It was just a game situation," Ronaldo said of the Puyol incident.
"After the first goal things got complicated and we couldn't play our game," he told reporters.
United manager Alex Ferguson said Guardiola's decision to move Messi further back into midfield had made it hard for his side to get back into the game after conceding the opening goal in the 10th minute.
Messi made 51 passes on the night with a success rate of 84 percent, while Ronaldo made 31 and completed 68 percent.
"Messi moving into midfield made it difficult to get the ball back off them," he told a news conference.
"It was a disappointing performance and some individuals will feel that themselves."
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Guardiola: Bravery and hard work key
ROME - Barcelona's Champions League triumph over Manchester United on Wednesday was down to bravery and hard work, said record-setting coach Pep Guardiola.
"If you take the ball and you attack and you are daring you have more chances of winning," the 38-year-old former Barca player told a news conference.
While Barcelona ended United's reign as European champions and their bid to be the first side to retain the trophy since AC Milan in 1990, Guardiola made some notable marks on the competition's record books himself.
He became the third youngest coach to lift the European Cup in the 54 seasons of the competition and the youngest to do so for 49 years when Miguel Munoz led Real Madrid to their fifth successive title in 1960.
He also became only the third man to play for and then manage the same club to victory after being in Barcelona's first European Cup winning team in 1992 and is the first manager to lead a Spanish club to a Treble after winning the domestic Cup and League double.
Quite some achievement for a man who was still playing three years ago, but he was happy to concentrate on his player's achievements rather than his own.
"We have not been cowards, never in the match. There's no other way. There's nothing more dangerous than not taking risks," he added.
"We have worked many, many hours throughout the season and I know there are many people who are very happy and this is our payment."
Guardiola, who has won the Spanish league and cup as well as the Champions League in his first season in charge, paid tribute to Lionel Messi, scorer of the second goal against United.
He said one of the reasons for his side's domination of United for long periods was his decision to move the Argentine forward back into the middle.
"Messi went back into midfield because we wanted to be superior in possession," Guardiola said.
"Without the ball we are a disastrous team, a horrible team so we need the ball," he added.
"We are not the best team in history but we have played the best season in history to win the three titles."
Guardiola had a spell in Italy towards the end of his playing career and he dedicated Wednesday's victory to AC Milan defender Paolo Maldini, who is in his final season after a 24-year career.
Maldini's final appearance at the San Siro on Sunday was marred by fans unveiling a banner criticising him.
"I think 20 or 30 people can't spoil his last game of football (at home)," Guardiola said.
"I am very happy to have won this trophy and I am very happy to dedicate it to the player who was by far the strongest of the past 20 years."
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Ferguson: The better team won
ROME - Barcelona's "killer" first goal and their ability to control a game once in front were decisive in their 2-0 Champions League final victory on Wednesday, Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson said.
"I think the first goal was a killer for us," Ferguson told ITV. "We started brightly too. We got a bit nervous after that."
United did make a good start but Samuel Eto'o netted after 10 minutes and the English side faded badly, with their defence looking especially shaky, and Lionel Messi wrapped up victory midway through the second half.
"The first goal didn't help that's for sure," Ferguson said at a news conference. "It gave them the opportunity to keep possession, which they do well.
"We didn't deal with it well enough. That really was the story. I think there's a disappointment in the performance and some individuals will say that themselves."
The Scot, who lashed out at a reporter for asking if he still had the desire to win, could only marvel at Barca's passing ability.
BAD GOAL
"At the start of game we did really well," he said. "It was a bad goal to lose. You've got to give credit to a very good Barca team. If they get in front of you they're difficult to beat.
"All the midfield players got possession of the ball and made it very difficult for us to get it back. When we did get possession after the goal we didn't do well enough with it."
He added: "They are among the best at what they do. They pursue their philosophy and don't change."
United rarely fail to score and Ferguson had no explanation.
"We had plenty of time," Ferguson told ITV. "We had some half-chances in the second half but in fairness we were beaten by a better team."
He also told Sky Sports: "They were two bad goals to lose at this level especially when we have really excelled defending this season."
United central defender Rio Ferdinand said his team, who failed to become the first to defend the trophy in the Champions League era, had not produced their best football.
"I don't think there's one of us out there can say we played well to be honest, as individuals or collectively," he said.
"(The first goal) was a bit of a sucker punch. We'd had a few good chances before that.
"But no excuses, not on today's performance. They were the better team. Special moments decide these games and they were deserved winners today."
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Park sets new Asian benchmark
ROME - South Korean Park Ji-sung became the first Asian to play in the Champions League final but his memorable night ended on a low note as Manchester United were beaten 2-0 by Barcelona and deposed as European champions.
Park, 28, was named in the starting line-up by coach Alex Ferguson a year after he was left out of last season's Champions League final against Chelsea.
He had an early chance to score in the second minute in Rome when he reacted first to a rebound off Barca goalkeeper Victor Valdes after a free-kick from Cristiano Ronaldo but before he could shoot a superb tackle from Barca captain Carles Puyol forced the ball away for a corner.
He failed to make much of an impact after that as United were largely outplayed by the opposition midfield before being replaced by Dimitar Berbatov in the 66th minute.
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WATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE GAME AT:
http://www.footytube.com/video/barcelona-v-manchester-united-13576
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man of match -> referee
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CtfuaMasXQ Michel Platini seemed to be very happy about Barca's win.
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Originally posted by Marco_Simone:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CtfuaMasXQ
Michel Platini seemed to be very happy about Barca’s win.
as long as not English, he sleeps well.
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and eat well too
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Well deserved win!
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Police arrest Barcelona fans after riots-agency
MADRID, May 28 (Reuters) - Spanish police arrested more than 40 people in Barcelona on Wednesday night as thousands celebrated Barcelona's victory in the Champions League final, the Europa Press news agency reported.
Rioters overturning barricades, threw cans, bottles and stones at police, who responded with rubber bullets, television pictures from the centre of the city showed.
Radio station Cadena Ser reported that fans set rubbish containers alight and smashed windows, signs and traffic lights.
Police fired rubber bullets in an effort to disperse crowds in the city's main square and down its most famous thoroughfare, Las Ramblas, shortly after 2 a.m. local time (0000 GMT), Cadena Ser said.
Ambulances took injured revellers away, a Reuters witness added.
Police estimated 100,000 fans gathered in the city's Catalonia Square to watch the match and celebrate the team's 2-0 victory over Manchester United in Rome, the third time the team has won Europe's top club competition.
Police were not reachable for comment.
Two weeks ago police arrested 45 people in the same area of Barcelona in violence following the team's victory in the King's Cup final against Bilbao.
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FOOTBALL at its best.. Barca deservingly won it. A great night for footballing history. And I declare Iniesta the best player in the world. lawls..
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Barcelona are the lastest club to complete the Treble after United 10 yrs ago...
They are the only Spanish side to have done it...
So now they will have sometime else to shout about to the great rival Real Madrid for years and decades to come... lol
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Just my opinion, Barcelona started the match nervously... They got a goal from a result of mistakes made by the United side... And from then on, they settled in and started playing their passing game...
What promised to be an exciting match of attacking football became a boring one after Barce took the lead... What they said of wanting to win playing beautiful football didn't happen... They stayed in their own half and centre of the pitch most of the time passing around for long periods each time they got the ball... It was like watching Barcelona playing Italian football...
In the end, United side only have themselves to blame for not bringing it on the night... Especially their midfield...
Anyway, congraz to Barce... cos they have probably just outdone whatever Real had in their long history by becoming the only Spanish club to do the Treble...
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If there's any other team that deserves the Cup other than Utd, it has to be Barca...truly deserve it for an outstanding season they had too..but somehow, Platini's expressions just simply irks me...
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11 Giants vs 11 men well deserved victory for barce well done
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this is nonsense.
barca don't even deserve to be in the final
kelonglona
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aiyah
lose le is lose le.
can try next season wat, rite?
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for all the talk on how huge this match would be turned out to be a whimper....manu was the wrong team to be in the final....they got the easy route.......
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Originally posted by AEW5001:
aiyah
lose le is lose le.
can try next season wat, rite?
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Congrats to Barca for winning the historic treble! The only Spanish club to have done it. I hope this silences Man Utd & their arrogant fans...
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The buildup to this match is overhyped... ronaldo and messi didn't play up to their standards... instead it was xavi and iniesta running the show... and united didn't create an awful lot of problems for barce's makeshift defence
and also, lol at evra
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Really don't understand European soccer fans, team loses match there is a riot; team wins match there is also riot.
What do they want?
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Yes Woohoo finally Barcelona beat Man Utd that shut many Man Utd fan mouth up