For the third time in the last six years, Barcelona won the European Champions League tonight, when they defeated Manchester United 3-1 at Wembley Stadium.
FC Barcelona today – what a team!
And the team that is widely recognized as the best club team in the world, showed once again why that is the case, when Manchester United couldn’t stay with them in the second half.
The Red Devils made a good start to the game, and even had most possession in the first 10 minutes, but then the Juggernaut that is Barcelona slowly got on top as they started to dominate possession.
And the mounting pressure finally saw Barcelona take the lead with an excellently worked goal after 28 minutes, that had Pedro easily beating Edwin van der Saar, who was making his very last appearance in a wonderful career.
It looked a bit ominous, but Manchester United never give up, and they came back well on 34 minutes and Wayne Rooney shot home excellently, from a nice move from the Red Devils, and the score was 1-1 at the break, although Barcelona had had more possession.
In the second half, fans witnessed what they had seen so much from this great Barcelona side, as they dominated possession, and it was hard for the Red Devils to get the ball.
And once they lost the ball Barcelona harried and harried until Manchester United gave up possession and again every loose ball seems to go to a Barcelona player.
Why is that? 😀
That’s what you get when you put World class players together, and they play as a team, and work their sicks off for the side when they have the ball, and also when they don’t have the ball.
The Red Devils had planned and planned in the previous week of how to combat the Spanish giants, and knew that if they switched off the would be punished.
And that’s exactly what happened after 54 minutes when Messi – what a player this lad is – got the ball outside the penalty area – and nobody challenged – so he hit a beautiful shot past the Dutch goalkeeper to put Barcelona 2-1 up – another great Messi special.
The game was wrapped up after 69 minutes when another shot from outside the penalty area, this time from David Villa, who beat van der Saar high to his left, with a wonderful curling shot.
Barcelona played the game out, and to be truthful they won this game fairly easily, and had a massive 70% possession in the game, and it was their second win in the last three times of trying.
Barcelona are simply the best club side in the world at the moment, and they are one of the best club sides ever, and unless something strange happens, they will win this European Champions League even more times in the seasons ahead.
But it was a great spectacle for football fans around the world, the world -wide TV audience was estimated at 400 million – as the game was played without any theatrics from either side, and it was clear the English Champions were well beaten for the second time in three seasons by a superior Spanish side.
And just to show it doesn’t take millions and millions to build a world class side – Barcelona had 7 players starting this game who had come through their famous Academy – something that Newcastle are trying to copy.
Well – that’s good.
Comments welcome.
72 comments so far
burnsie
May 28, 2011 at 10:00 PM
Comment #11st!!!
Mancgeordie
May 28, 2011 at 10:06 PM
Comment #2barcelona what a side i just hope we can have a side half as good as there side one day
G
May 28, 2011 at 10:07 PM
Comment #3What a team, what a final. I think the only realistic way of beating Barca when they play like that, is with weapons, and even then, given how fantastic their movement is, they would be bloody hard targets to hit. Total class.
Andy
May 28, 2011 at 10:08 PM
Comment #4Well no surprises there! Only one team ever going to win from 10 mins onwards!
nufcgaz687
May 28, 2011 at 10:11 PM
Comment #5what a team what a game to think we competed with them not so long ago in the same competition hopefully one day not so far away we can again HWTL
G
May 28, 2011 at 10:12 PM
Comment #6As improved as we are, can you imagine what sort of score Barca would get against us when they have their tails up like that? I shudder to think. Would have much rather have the hated Manc’s win it, just to keep the flag flying, but fair play, the superior football team won.
Mancgeordie
May 28, 2011 at 10:13 PM
Comment #7anyway any rumours boys
terencelim
May 28, 2011 at 10:14 PM
Comment #8I hope the FA watch the game tonight, and finally learn that helping ManUtd all the way with Mike Dean, Howard Webb and Phil Dowd isn’t a way to manage football, but it only destroy the league, in the local, and also Europe.
Andy
May 28, 2011 at 10:14 PM
Comment #9Cheeky bid for Berba?
Constanstine
May 28, 2011 at 10:15 PM
Comment #10This gotta be one of the best football season in years. What a league we had and CL final crash of the two best teams in the world. Do give a credit to Manchester United, they went through the season with a much weaker squad but still managed to come this far.
Barcelona is simply amazing and look like a team to win any trophy out there. What a game.
NUFClad
May 28, 2011 at 10:15 PM
Comment #11Would love to see Messi try and get round Tiote 😉
Mancgeordie
May 28, 2011 at 10:16 PM
Comment #12whats this about cabaye and the sunday sun tomorrow?
G
May 28, 2011 at 10:17 PM
Comment #13NUFClad, Tiote is good, very good, but stopping Messi? When Messi is on form, he is unplayable.
kilcline
May 28, 2011 at 10:17 PM
Comment #14Need Gervinho, Gameiro, Capaye, M bangue (sp) and N Zog for next season. Then we will be a force.
mattnufc
May 28, 2011 at 10:18 PM
Comment #15@NUFClad
I wouldn’t. Another yellow card surely!
Nathaaan
May 28, 2011 at 10:18 PM
Comment #16Why was berba left out of squad? Hernandez was no where to be seen tonight, Berba is the right type of player to play against barca.
Andy
May 28, 2011 at 10:19 PM
Comment #17Maybe I will just buy a france top to wear to home matches next year! Seeing as half our team is going to be French or French Speaking!
geordiejohn42
May 28, 2011 at 10:19 PM
Comment #187th
kevymartins
May 28, 2011 at 10:19 PM
Comment #19That barca team is the 2nd best ive ever seen
Andy
May 28, 2011 at 10:20 PM
Comment #20Nathaaan no idea, you could see fergie look behind when barca went 3-1 up to see right who do i have. Berba apparently left the stadium as soon as he found out!
Andy
May 28, 2011 at 10:20 PM
Comment #21kevy out of interest who is the best? Liverpool?
G
May 28, 2011 at 10:21 PM
Comment #22I feel like I am walking into a trap here, but I am intrigued Kevy?
toonbelmonter
May 28, 2011 at 10:21 PM
Comment #23plus berbas a mag anorl lol ,,
kevymartins
May 28, 2011 at 10:22 PM
Comment #24The mighty mighty TOON ARMY 🙂 🙂 😉
G
May 28, 2011 at 10:23 PM
Comment #25Damn fine answer!
Mancgeordie
May 28, 2011 at 10:24 PM
Comment #26Imagine this next august its hard to believe but if rumours are true
—————————krul————————-
simo——–saylor(c)—–colo———–m’bengue
—————–tiote———–cabaye—————–
gervinho/menez—-king arfa———–n’zogbia—
————————-gamiero————————-
it maybe even would give barce a game??? laurent blanc would need a free season ticket
kevymartins
May 28, 2011 at 10:24 PM
Comment #27Nah to be honest that barca team is the best on the planet just wish we could be like that 1 day or close to that…
watching barca beat man utd almost felt like watching a toon match tho
G
May 28, 2011 at 10:28 PM
Comment #28Agreed Kevy, it’s nice to be the neutral, however, it is disappointing that an English club didn’t lift the trophy.
Andy
May 28, 2011 at 10:29 PM
Comment #29Barca are such a great team! Nice to see none of the theatrics tonight as well
kevymartins
May 28, 2011 at 10:29 PM
Comment #30Who else thinks it wuda been 10 times more competitive if it was arsenal barca final?
G
May 28, 2011 at 10:32 PM
Comment #31Dunno about that, not with their injury list Kevy. Chelsea, maybe, but Arsenal? Not enough defenders.
Kurt
May 28, 2011 at 10:33 PM
Comment #32Fantastic team and a y fantastic gesture by Pyol in the end letting Abidal lift the trophy. Good team spirit.
toon_tomma
May 28, 2011 at 10:38 PM
Comment #33Mancgeordie- ad put Enrique in that team got a gut feeling he is going stay just got a feeling this fantastic offer Pardew was talking about there will be something in his contract were if we dont get Europe in few year he can leave for a certain amount of money well thats the crack up here iv been hearing all day and that Liverpool is going come bk in for one final bid but no more than 6m, and also iv heard ALL DAY a mean ALL DAY that (us) Newcastle and Borussia Dortmund are to hold talks with Reo-Coker on Tuesday dont no what truth in that but thats all that got said around here.
kevymartins
May 28, 2011 at 10:40 PM
Comment #34http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=215787858445640&set=pu.119415838082843&type=1&theater
take a look at that llf lmao lmfao
Nufc_mo
May 28, 2011 at 10:42 PM
Comment #35Utd played with 10 men tbh…. Valencia was just woeful….
How was he not the first player booked?
Crawfordladd17
May 28, 2011 at 10:43 PM
Comment #36So Mancgeordie Spain against France
We can wish pray but with Ashley as r owner Parsed manger and Llambias a director, with players like Perch Ameobi(we will keep him probably 🙁 Smith Xisco ect. We won’t get anywhere but, I think we will only need £31m
In
Ba Free
Gamerio £10m
N’Zogbia £10m
Cabaye £5m
Larsson Free
M’Bengue £6m
Out
Campbell & Kuqi Free
Enrique £12m
Perch £1m
Smith £1m
Routledge £1.5m
Barton £5m
Xisco £2m
£22.5m
————————–Krul—————————–
Simpson—-S.Taylor——Coloccini——Enrique
——————–Tiote—-Cabaye——————–
Ben Arfa————–Nolan(c)————-N’Zogbia
————————Gamerio————————–
Subs
Harper
Williamson
Gosling
Jonas
Ba
Best
Nufc_mo
May 28, 2011 at 10:48 PM
Comment #37@Crawford
Enrique out? Yet he is in your lineup..
Nufc_mo
May 28, 2011 at 10:50 PM
Comment #38Also think we need a rightback to replace/give simmo competition….
he has look pretty slack recently… no one is challenging him for his position…
Tonytoon73
May 28, 2011 at 10:52 PM
Comment #39G I have had a little banter with WWJBD over the last few weeks and i even said the correct score. Barca is the team like.
toon_tomma
May 28, 2011 at 10:53 PM
Comment #40Nufc_mo- Couldnt agree more mate a think we need to look for a RB for sure