FC Barcelona created history on Wednesday evening as they won the UEFA Champions League in Rome to add to the domestic title and Copa del Rey thanks to goals from Samuel Eto’o and Lionel Messi.
In a superb display of the type of football that has typified what has been a magnificent season, Barça became the first team from the Spanish league to complete the unique treble as they ended Manchester United’s run of 25 games unbeaten in the European competition.
Slow start
The predictions that the homegrown mix of players with star international names would find the Red Devils a difficult team looked to be correct in the opening minutes as Cristiano Ronaldo looked alert and lively, but Barça held tight and took control of proceedings. The Portuguese was said to be one of the men to watch and he forced Víctor Valdés to make a save early on that required Gerard Piqué to then meet the rebound and clear.
The opening goal
Guardiola’s team have won plaudits from around the world for their passing and possession game and the more Xavi and Andrés Iniesta came into the game the tougher it became for Ronaldo and United to employ the style of play that has seen them win the Premier League, Carling Cup and World Club Cup this season.
After the English side’s bright start, Barcelona showed them the way to goal with almost their first attack after ten minutes. Eto’o was picked out on the right of the area and he stepped inside Nemanja Vidic before taking aim with a shot that Edwin van der Sar met but was unable to keep out and the Cameroonian striker wheeled away to the corner flag to celebrate the opening goal.
Style and technique
That goal gave the Blaugrana the confidence that they required and they lifted their game as United began to have to chase and work in order to gain possession and try and find a way back into the game, but they were unable to as Guardiola’s players started to enjoy themselves.
Lionel Messi was the focus of much attention in the build-up and he sent a drive just over the bar from 25 yards out before Xavi lined up the first free-kick of the evening and saw his effort curl just over the near post as Van der Sar came across to cover.
Attacking changes
After half-time, Sir Alex Ferguson looked to bolster his front line with the introduction of Carlos Tévez in place of Anderson, but even that move did not allow United to prevent Barcelona from creating more chances to wrap up the encounter. Henry moved away from Rio Ferdinand in the 50th minute and sent saw his shot saved by the keeper before Xavi sent a low free-kick around the wall and saw it cannon back of the post soon after as the Catalan outfit continued to dominate.
Last season Gerard Piqué picked up a medal as an unused player for Manchester United and just a year later he became the first player to ever win the trophy with two different clubs in consecutive years. Not only did he create history, but the defender was also outstanding in the second period as he prevented his former club from finding a way back into the game. Even Dimitar Berbatov came on to give United even more going forward were they unable to regularly break Barça down.
Messi heads home
Valdés proved that he was still focussed as he raced to deny Ronaldo from close range, but the keeper did not have a busy evening as the midfield dominated and a second goal for Barcelona always looked likely and when it came it was a superb effort. Xavi looked up from a few yards outside on the right of the area and clipped a cross beyond the defence where Messi rose and stayed up to nod a textbook header beyond Van der Sar and into the far corner of the net with 70 minutes on the clock.
That was the signal for the celebrations to begin being planned as Roma joined Wembley and Paris in the Barça history books. An historic win on an historic night in an historic city was a fitting tribute for the team of the season to complete their memorable treble.
take from http://www.fcbarcelona.com
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