Barcelona 3-1 Manchester Utd
by Rob Wright, email: sportonline@rte.ie
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Full time And that's that. I don't think there's ever been a more deserved winner of the Champions League, Barcelona were simply a class about anyone else, including United.
Bill Shankly once said that he wanted to build a side so good that they'd have to send a team from Mars to beat them. If those Martians showed up tomorrow, Barcelona would hammer them.
90 mins Messi tries an audacious lob from just inside the United half, but van der Sar gets back in time and plucks it out of the air. Pedro, who opened the scoring tonight, is replaced by Ibrahim Afellay.
88 mins Busquets irks the United players when he stays down after what looks like a minor incident, but replays show that he took a fairly hefty knee to the face. Meanwhile Barcelona decide to really rub it in by bringing on Carlos Puyol for Alves. That's the same Carlos Puyol who was so unfit that Barcelona had to play a midfielder in the heart of defence.
Still Puyol is more than just a Barcelona talisman and the crowd greet his entry with one of the biggest cheers of the night.
Alves meanwhile, gets a well deserved ovation. He won't come close to being man of the match after the shift that Messi has just put in, but being the second best player on the pitch after Messi is no shame.
86 mins Barcelona look like they're content to shut up shop as striker David Villa comes off for Keita.
84 mins There's a glimmer for United as Giggs makes a break down the left wing before lifting the ball into the box for Hernandez, but Valdes is out smartly and punches the ball clear of danger. Nani gets a long range snap-shot away, but it drifts wide and goalkeeper Valdes is booked for taking too much time over the goalkick.
81 mins Barcelona have taken their foot off the pedal since the third goal went in, but United look too deflated to threaten their goal.
79 mins Valencia, who has been hacking at Messi all second-half, is finally booked for shoving the Argentine off the ball.
75 mins United to their credit, are refusing to give up, it's just that they're struggling to even get the slightest spell of possession. Paul Scholes is introduced for Michael Carrick, in what's most likely a final throw of the dice. Bit harsh on Carrick, who was at least continuing to chase. How Ryan Giggs is still on the pitch is anyone's guess.
73 mins All the hyperbole you hear and read about Lionel Messi? It's deserved. He's a better player that Diego Maradonna was, and until now, Maradonna was the best there had ever been.
70 mins GOAL Barcelona (Villa) That's a goal we'll be seeing replayed for years. Messi makes a mockery of the United defence and skips through through three challenges before the ball is just about stolen off his feet. However it's only cleared as far as Busquets who turns back and rolls it into the path of Villa. Villa holds up the ball, takes a touch, and unleashes an unstoppable curling shot into the top right corner.
69 mins Fabio, who looked to pick up a knock in the build-up to Messi's back-heeled attempt is brought off for Nani as United look to chase the equaliser.
66 mins United are really hanging on now and van der Sar is forced into making a fine diving save from Xavi long range effort.
65 mins It's the Messi show right now as Barcelona pass United into submission before working the ball to the unmarked Alves inside the right of the United penalty area. The angle is too narrow for a shot so he cuts it back to Messi who tries an audacious backheel, but it just lacks the pace and is cleared.
63 mins Messi spurns a great chance for Barcelona's third. He picks up the ball with his back to goal but spins past his marker and through on goal before blasting his shot straight at Van Der Sar, who gets a lucky break as the loose ball squirms away from goal.
61 mins Michael Carrick is booked for a reducer on Iniesta. United are still very much in this game and everytime they get forward Pique and Mascherano look nervous.
58 mins Ryan Giggs, who has been in the tabloids all week because of his quest for anonymity, seems to have found it tonight on the Wembley pitch. It can't be much longer before Ferguson starts looking towards making changes.
56 mins Valencia somehows escapes a booking for a crunching foul on Messi. I really hope United don't resort to targetting him physically.
54 mins GOAL Barcelona (Messi) United break the cardinal rule of playing against Barcelona and give Lionel Messi time and space outside their penalty area. The Argentinian picks up the ball from a Xavi pass and has time to take a touch, turn and power the ball past the dive of Van Der Sar. Evra and Ferdinand failed to close him down, standing off him and Alex Ferguson will be fuming.
52 mins Edwin Var Der Sar keeps United level with a fine save from Alves. Barcelona burst forward in numbers after Alves loses his marker Park, but the Brazilian decides to shoot from a tight angle when he had better option inside and van der Sar blocks it.
49 mins United answer with a poweful run from Rooney down the left wing. The English strike almost sneaks by Pique, but the defender just about manages to keep pace and eventually hits the ball out off Rooney for a goalkick.
47 mins Javier Mascherano has a rush of blood and forgets that he's supposed to be a centre-back as he saunters forward before going on a long run, deep into the United half that sees him win a corner-kick. United fail to clear it properly, blocking a couple of Barclona efforts on goal before it goes behind for another corner.
Barcelona take this one short before working room for a cross, that goes nowhere.
46 mins "Barcelona will beat them comfortably" predicts Eamon Dunphy. Think it'll be a bit closer than that, but the players are back out and the second-half is about to begin.
Half-time The referee blows for the break with no added time. It's been a great first-half with Barcelona playing all the football, but United some how on level terms.
43 mins Barcelona are just inches from a second goal again. Messi bursts through the midfield again, leaving two United players in his wake before he gives the ball to Villa on the right. The Spaniard slides the ball accross the face of the goal and the out-stretched Messi just fails to make contact with the ball.
42 mins Valencia's foul on Messi gives Barcelona a freekick in a dangerous position on the left. Xavi gets behind it and looks like he's lining up for a shot on goal but he slides the ball to Iniesta just inside the United penalty area and his flick through to Pedro is just inches too long.
40 mins The pace of Barcelona's play is breath-taking. They break forward with Messi leading the charge an his through-ball to Pedro is only marginally overhit, allowing Ferdinand the chance to get a block in.
38 mins Barcelona don't seem to have suffered any ill effects mentally from that equaliser and continue to control the play. Iniesta stings the palms of van der Sar with his rasping long range effort.
33 mins GOAL Manchester United (Rooney) United equalise and it's out of nothing. Rooney bursts forward, slides the ball to Javier Hernandez inside the penalty are, who rolls it back to Rooney with a neat one-two, before the England international picks his spot and fires the ball into the top left corner of the net.
Game on, but Hernandez looked offside.
27 mins GOAL BARCELONA (Pedro) It's been coming. Xavi bursts through the midfield, drawing four United defenders to him before he slots the ball through to Pedro on the right. The unmarked Pedro has all the time in the world to pick his shot and he slices the ball to the near post when Van Der Sar, and everyone else, expected him to go across the goalkeeper.
25 mins It's all Barcelona and United need another another desperation tackle - this time from Ferdinand - to stop Messi getting clean through on goal. Alex Ferguson looks anxious on the sidelines and you wouldn't rule out an early substitution to bolster their fragile looking midfield.
21 mins It's Villa again, but this time he forces a save from Van Der Sar with a snap-shot from the edge of the United area. Seconds later Barcelona pass their way through the United defence and when it looks as if Messi is going to open the scoring Vidic makes a great, last-gasp tackle that allows his side the clear the ball.
20 mins David Villa goes close to breaking the deadlock as Barcelona start to turn the screws. The Spanish international striker picks up the ball on the edge of the United area and smashes a powerful effort just wide of the upright.
18 mins United's impressive early start has faded and it's been all Barcelona in the last few minutes. Ominously, they're starting to find time and space in midfield, with Messi and Alves having time to run at the United defence.
15 mins Barcelona should be in front. After a neat passage of play between Messi and Alves, the ball comes to Xavi out on the right wing and he slots over a low powerful cross that Pedro manages to toe-poke wide. It's the first time that United have been carved open.
12 mins Barcelona have a shout for a penalty. From a cornerkick, the ball comes over to Pedro inside the edge of the United box, he tries to flick the ball back over his head and into the danger area but Evra is behind him and the ball is stopped by his arm. Would have been harsh, but there was definitely contact.
10 mins Valdes is out again to save Barcelona - this time from his own player. Hernandez is just beaten by Pique to a through ball but there a mix-up in defence the out-rushing Valdes has to be quick to clear Pique's overhit backpass.
8 mins It's all Manchester United so far and Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes has to come rushing off his line to prevent Wayne Rooney from getting on the end of a massive goal-kick from Edwin Van Der Sar. Valdes manages to punch the ball away to safety but Barcelona will be concerned by the ease with which Rooney got past his marker.
5 mins Messi gets his first chance to run at United but Park is right behind him and snaps into the tackle, winning the ball. Park came in from behind but took the ball and it looks like referee Viktor Kassai is going to let the game flow tonight.
4 mins Manchester United are playing very, very high up the pitch with the quarter of Rooney, Park, Carrick and Nani all lining up behind Hernandez and closing down Barcelona just outside of their penalty area. Park in particular is already running about like a lunatic, chasing every ball.
2 mins Busquets is down rolling around on the ground and clutching his face, but for once it's justified as Michael Carrick damn near took his head off with a point blank rocket of a shot.
1 min Manchester United, in all white, get the game underway and boos ring out as Dani Alves gets his first touch of the game, United fans seem to be out-numbering their Barcelona counterparts by 3 to 1 or so.
1943 The players are out, the stadium is full - and looking weighted heavily in United's favour - and no-one put the blink on their team by touching the trophy on the way out.
1935 So predicition time then - I've a sneaking suspicion that United will nick it in normal time. Pique and Mascherano are a centre-half pairing that United will look to expose at every opportunity, and particularly from dead balls. Ferdinand and Vidic will be looking to put them under pressure at every corner-kick and Barcelona will struggle to contain them. United will play a high pressure and tempo game, closing down Barcelona and restricting supply to Messi and Villa up front. There'll be goals for both sides, but something tells me that United will edge it - calling a 2-1 win for them.
1924 Manchester United fans will definitely be taking heart with the prospect of Javier Mascherano at centre-half for Barcelona, if the panel are correct in their formation prediction. With Puyol on the bench, it looks like they may well be.
1907 Well, well, well some early controversy as the teams are announced - record signing Dimitar Berbatov was left out of the Manchester United squad.
Yep, that's right the £30.75million frontman isn't even considered good enough for a place on the bench, where Michael Owen will is preferred. In fairness to Owen, he's made the position his own this season, but this must seriously cast doubt on the future of Berbatov at Old Trafford.
There are no surprises in the United starting XI, with Javier Hernandez partnering Wayne Rooney in attack and Fabio starting at right-back. Darren Fletcher and Nani will keep Owen company on the bench - someone has to.
Barca captain Carles Puyol only makes the bench for the favourites, who instead take a chance on fellow defender Eric Abidal, with both having missed much of 2011 through injury and illness, respectively.
Manchester United: Van der Sar, Fabio, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Valencia, Carrick, Giggs, Park, Rooney, Hernandez
Substitutes: Kuszczak, Smalling, Fletcher, Anderson, Nani, Scholes, Owen
Barcelona: Valdes, Alves, Pique, Mascherano, Abidal, Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, Pedro, Messi, Villa
Substitutes: Olazabal, Puyol, Bojan, Keita, Afellay, Adriano, Alcantara
