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It was a glorious game for Barcelona fans and the morning after it certainly feels like a triumph of style and substance. Manchester United were certainly good, there can be no mistaking that, but it was Barcelona's night and the team played about as well as you could ever hope. And to cap it all off, giving Eric Abidal the armband and the right to lift the trophy first was just the touch it all needed to make this a fairytale story for cules.
Pep Guardiola has now won two Champions League titles in 3 years and 10 trophies overall. It's a brilliant run and it's something that all blaugrana fans should feel lucky to be witnessing. It's a convergence of so much talent, of institutional stability (despite the political upheaval, the sporting institution has remained stable), and of a general desire to see a particular style flourish. That meant taking a risk on a third division manager rather than someone proven at the highest level.
And then, of course, there's Lionel Messi. Just after the little Argentine scored Barça's second against United, Guardiola celebrated by pumping his fists and shouting at his bench "That's Messi!" The manager knows that 53 goals in 55 games has kept the team's season alive, but it's also the little man's assists, movement, and defensive work that put him so far ahead of everyone else. That his supporting cast is immensely talented is, of course, great for him, but he supports them as well and celebrates immensely when they score.
When Villa curled in his shot, Messi, who was between David and the goal, sank to his knees screaming his elation. Instead of sulking alone that it wasn't his goal that sealed the deal, he then got up and raced to get into the team hug by the corner flag, all smiles and joy. He may end next year with a 3 peat of FIFA World Player of the Year awards, but he'll celebrate it with his teammates and will continue to work for them.
So now there is a summer, including a rematch in July between the two teams, and I hope all Barcelona fans enjoy it, even the transfer rumors and the discussions about whether or not Barcelona is the greatest club team of all time.
Comments
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Posted by Danny Myers on 05/29/2011
no doubt about it.. barca are the greatest team of all time.. as a man utd i sincerely say it hurts tremendously to know that had it not been for barca, this would have been our 5th champions league trophy.. but it wasnt to be.. well done messi et al.. thoroughly deserved.. well done
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Posted by GIDEON AYO on 05/29/2011
Barca has proven to the world the values of football and has silenced critics of accusing barca of cheating,come on,i could not hide my joy and have problem sleeping due to being overjoyed because of the passion i have for this club,Mourinho Cleverly ploted the downfall of Barca knowing fully well that he hired players pepe and ramos to break legs of barca players,plyed them rough and if they fall he instructed his players to carry them up,to confuse the reffs,mourinho attacked any reff,uefa and turn the public to hate barca,im tired of defending,people's likeness to barca were phsycologycally turned to hatred to barca fans, i feel like crying,mourinho claimed we cant play 11-11 and win any game without official's help,he did everything within his power to distract barca,circulate pictures of bousquets and alves,and called for banning of 6 barca players,appeal and forward a racism case for bousquet,offer to assist ferguson how to pla
y barca,turned england fans to boo barca at wemley
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Posted by GIDEON AYO on 05/30/2011
but then God knows Barca dont cheat but just needed a security to play their ball without being injured,i lost sleep pondering on the fact that if we loose this final,mourinho will be justified to his followers who will never listen,but The opportunity came,barca played the final,no red card,no diving like di maria and Ronaldo the original divers and to cap it all,barca won 3-1,even rooney goal was a clear ofside but barca will never complain like mourinho but will do what they knows best,The joy was that praises came from ferguson,vidic,evra,nani and van der sar;that barca are the best side they have ever played recently,and they cant but congratulate them,WHAT A JUSTIFICATION,WHAT MOURINHO WILL NEVER DO,HE THINKS HE CAN HIDE THIS BARCA's GLORY?OH,IM OVERJOYED,anyway Mourinho has been shamed by messi and the team.he eats his word,pls true barca fans, celebrate,it is worth it,congrats.i have never been stressed all season like this,i wondered that if i felt weary like this,what of pep
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Posted by dave on 05/30/2011
Congrats Barca, you deserve it.
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Posted by inestamessi on 05/30/2011
@ GIDEON AYO
Great comments, i live in bkk where everyone is either a manu fan or liverpool fan, the amount of abuse i recieved from manu fans in particular was ridiculous...i tried to explain to them that barca only resort to this diving and "dark arts" tactics against teams that try to hurt them (mourinho teams)..attack us, put 10 men behind the ball, no problem, but set out to injure us, and ofcourse we'll do our best to protect ourself by play acting, diving, fighting back etc. its only human !...in the end football won in the end, and this is why mourinho will never be as good as fergie, he plays too defensively and negatively, that isnt the beautiful game JM ! god bless barca !!!!!
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Posted by philips on 05/30/2011
Barca are the Greatest, they show what they really want to...:)
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Posted by Henry Jo on 05/30/2011
Barca's defeat of Man-U wasn't a surprise to any serious follower of the game . But what was a surprise was the manner of Man-U's resistance. Like in Rome they started bravely and even going a step further here by coming backing into the game after going 1 down.I felt Man-U should be commended for there doggedness in-spite of the fact that it was still the same story just like in Rome two years ago.
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Posted by Taiwo oluktun on 05/30/2011
this barcelona team is no doubt the best team i have ever seeing in my life, though am still a young guy, in fact barca make my day cool, they make my day brighter i say they make me proud, kudos to guardiola for the tremendous work he has been doing so far more grease to your elbow. barca till the end of life. up barca.
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Posted by Taiwo oluktun on 05/30/2011
this barcelona team is no doubt the best team i have ever seeing in my life, though am still a young guy, in fact barca make my day cool, they make my day brighter i say they make me proud, kudos to guardiola for the tremendous work he has been doing so far more grease to your elbow. barca till the end of life. up barca.
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Posted by Hamilton Gondwe on 05/30/2011
Though a manU fan,i still salute Barca and accept that is the best team in the universe.Congrants.. Barca.
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Posted by Renatus Neema (NAMIBIA) on 05/30/2011
I just can't believe Evra and Nani still insisting they will beat Barca next season. I thought this was their second chance given have proved and rectified their 2009 lose in Rome. Sir has believed that, Vidic too that Barca is the best and they don't wanna face them even next yaer.
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Posted by John Archbold on 05/30/2011
I've been a Man.Utd. fan since 1963 and seen a lot of fantastic football over the years.
However, I've never seen anything like what Barcelona showed us and the World....absolutely brilliant!
Well done Barcelona....you're a credit to the beautiful game.
Mourinho....are you watching and listening???? There wasn't any diving or pretending to be injured by Barca players in this final....reason? The two teams respected each other....you could learn a lesson from this.
We hate to lose but....being beaten so badly by THIS Barcelona team is nothing to be ashamed of.
Hats off to Barcelona FC.
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Posted by Josh K on 05/30/2011
First, respect to Manchester United for their efforts, nothing to be ashamed of, Man United played a clean game. Well said John Archbold, I also think Mourinho is a baby. They played to spaced out, they gave too much space to the midfield. Second, congrats to Barcelona, they have played heavenly, angelic, cosmic football, they used their possesion & passing very effectively, Messi is on another level from everyone else, if you don't know that Messi is the best by now then something is wrong with you. Thirdly, Barcelona wanted this game more, they went through real trials in the Champions League, they had to face tougher teams (Arsenal and Real Madrid), which built their character, they deserved to win. Generations from now, people will mention this Barcelona side and tell them about their glorious triumphs. VISCA BARCA!
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Posted by AIM on 05/30/2011
A few points about this Barca team:
a - the are tacticaly more disciplined and work harder than any other team.(compared to them the MU players looked lazy)
b - they can play the "tiki-taka" because the first touch of every and each player is absolutly impecable
c - they have Messi
d - on top of all that, when needed, and just when needed, they can be as cunning and as "dirty" as any other team.
A joy to watch. Congratulations to them.
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Posted by Geoffrey Andin on 05/31/2011
I am overjoyed wacthing Barcelona sensational game against MU which deserved to loose. One player Valencia deserved a red card who played a rough game five to six times against Barca players but the ref looked a bit of favaouratism towards the other team MU.I never missed a game of Barca on my TV even in the early morning hours of our Sarawak Malaysia time my alarm clock to wake me up. Congratulations to the best AMONGST THE BEST and GLORIOUS TEAMS OF THE WORLD AND NOT forget TO your beloved Coach Guardiola. To Pedro, Messi and D. Villa do your future more glorious and Mourinho has been shamed by you.
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Posted by welemariam ayele on 05/31/2011
Barcelona is the best team in the world all of the time.that is the only world to describe barca I have.I have not enough words to express how Barca palyers are specialists of football.And I have a message that is necessary to Jose Mourinho; JM if you to become a manager/coach of any sport team please lead RUGBY,BOXING,WRESTLING teams,ok!.please don't lead teams of football like real madrid.because you have changed football to rugby.so please please go out from football teams.Oh! I am sorry,you have a best work that can improve your ugliest ability please lead the PORTUGAL NATIONAL ARMY DEFENCE that is your best work.
national army defence don't forget it.
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Posted by a reyes barca on 05/31/2011
Barca won like they deserved. They play the greatest football in the world. But all credit to man u they played a clean game and never gave up. Yea mourinho u can sleep at night knowing u r the laughing stock of the world "Barca cheat " haha what a loser. Congratulations Barcelona
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Posted by Ranjan Singh on 05/31/2011
Congrats to all Barca Fans along with all those who are ardently follow this beautiful game,called Football...It was an amazing match and it reminds me of a news article where Rooney said that he salute Barca the way they played & didn't let the RM players touch the ball during the 5-0 demolition earlier this season...I think he would be saluting again n again after this final to them.. ManU been made look like very ordinary team and had it not been a final where stakes were high, we might have seen a bigger goal difference as Barca after 3rd goal put the foot off the gas to preserve the lead.
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Posted by dude on 05/31/2011
i never doubt that this barcelone team will rule the world for 10 years ahead. Had this team played in 1950s,surely real madrid will never win 5 times in a row.
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Posted by kid on 05/31/2011
hats off to barca for such a glourious game. messi played terrific and the team was a joy to watch. ManU played clean so good game for them too. barca was just 2 good. hope JM is watching cause now he needs to couch real how to play clean and not make football wrestling or something.
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Posted by Nick on 05/31/2011
I have watched many Barca teams compete over the years and they all played at astounding levels, however there was always something missing..... This current group has a cohesiveness which surpasses all others, the unity, the passing, the defending, the attacking and compassion towards each other binds them together closely. Although there is Messi (out of this world Brilliant)the entire squad has shown that the quality of their youth system is payin off immensely. this barca team will only get better. A Fan could not ask for a better script after beating some of the worlds best (arsenal ManU)to be crowned the Champions of Europe Hail the Champions Barca.
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Posted by david creed on 06/01/2011
Congratulations to Barcelona - THE team of the 21st century so far and rapidly becoming possibly the greatest club team of all time! Hard to see how anyone is going to beat them over the next few years except perhaps by very negative tactics over two legs of a CL round. Villa's goal was the best of the match! Messi was brilliant and it is wonderful to see how mature this young man has become - he is never petulant, never negative - just gets up and gets on with the game. Guardiola would be crazy to leave this group of players! P.S. I have been a Man U fan for almost 50 years but I enjoy watching this Barcelona team as much as I did watching the Best-Law-Charlton Man U team of the late 1960s when I was a student in Manchester.
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Posted by elias m on 06/01/2011
Well I am a Barca and Chelsea supporter but most of all I appreciate football. Fergie, Pep, Mourinho, Hiddink are some of the best coaches ever. But put the players on the pitch and this Barca team becomes legends. I saw the 99 Man U team was exciting to watch, Barca 2009 team was ruthless, the 2000 madrid team was fantastic but this group is flawless.
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Posted by Anonymous on 06/01/2011
Well I am a Barca and Chelsea supporter but most of all I appreciate football. Fergie, Pep, Mourinho, Hiddink are some of the best coaches ever. But put the players on the pitch and this Barca team becomes legends. I saw the 99 Man U team was exciting to watch, Barca 2009 team was ruthless, the 2000 madrid team was fantastic but this group is flawless. Congrats boys
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Posted by Indra Santosa on 06/01/2011
Barcelona is out of this world! Xavi, Iniesta and Messi are the best trio of passers in the game, but don't forget the role of Busquets. He is the fourth card on the midfield magic deck of Barcelona. He is active in defence and quick to move forward in attack. I like to see Fabregas back to Barcelona, but frankly cannot think where to play him in this great team? VIVA BARCA... PS. For the rematch against MU in the USA, please play as many younger players as possible.. La Masia graduates like Alcantara, Jonathan Dos Santos and Marc Bartra. BTW, what have you guys done with Christian Ceballos?? And Assulin? What a pity to see those two exciting youngsters being given the exits..
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Posted by Chris on 06/02/2011
What I want to know is where are all the petty,jealous,ignorant people who have been constantly making charges this year that UEFA is paying off officials to make sure that Barca wins CL games or that Barca players are just a bunch of Latin cheaters? They must of crawled back into their holes like the snakes that they are. It's a pleasure and a privilige for me to be able to watch all their games and as other people have pointed out,this current Barca team have transcended sport and are now in the realm of art. They are sport as art and this is no exaggeration,Messi,Xavi,Iniesta and the rest are pure genius, they are the Monets and Rembrandts of the futbol world.Thank God for FC Barcelona.
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Posted by Eric Carrera on 06/02/2011
@ John Archbold,
Just to add a comment on barca and man u respecting eachother. Yes barca took dives against Real, and yes they rarely played them 11 v 11. However, one must acknowledge the emotions and nerves that go into playing a clasico 4 times in 18 days. These 2 sides are the 2 best in europe, the biggest rivalry in the world, had all 3 of their trophies at stake, and not to mention the political aspects behind each clasico. So obviously there is a lot of emotion on the pitch and each tackle or foul received gets taken straight to the player's head and he dives/complains/etc. (for both sides)
This final was different because as you mentioned, the 2 sides respected each other, and they were 2 sides that only met once this year, at the champions league final, all bitterness and politics aside, to just play a beautiful futbol match.
Congrats Barcelona, and hats off to Man U for the effort
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Posted by FORCA BARCA!!!!! on 06/02/2011
There you go dear editor,you said that park will be a big threat to catalans.But i said that whether he plays or not,Barca will win and how right i was.It was a complete performance truly one of the best if not the best on such a big occasion.one thing about Guardiola is that he doesnt look like a manager,he looks like he is part of this playing team and that is due to his catalan roots.winning 2 champions league titles in 3 years,both by destroying a manutd side who were managed by the great coach alex ferguson is not easy at all.Guardiola got right the team selection on both occasions,fergie failed.
SO All hail Barcelona,Kings of EUROPE!!!
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Posted by Oluwaseun on 06/02/2011
Why did puyol didnot play on first half
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Posted by puyol95 on 06/02/2011
puyol didn't play because guardiola did not think he was fit enough to play the full match; he's been suffering from knee problems for pretty much the whole season. it didn't make much of a difference though, Barcelona played better and deserved the win, although Man U are an awesome team as well. They can't both win;)
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Posted by lily on 06/03/2011
i know you guys always stay as champions. just work hard. think how to defeat the opponent. most important thing is teamwork. love you guys always :)
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Posted by K on 06/04/2011
I think fuck barcelona. nobody ever says anything about man u cheating. but when all you barca fans hear things about barcelona cheating, well its true. open your eyes. barca players dont have the skill to steal the ball and what they do is, oh put their hands to their face. and they get the ball anyway. A good man u player like park ji sung who has incredible endurance and after barca scored three goals barcelona players pass the ball among three players with no intention of doing shit with it. tell me the day when barcelona players have the balls to play one on one against another player instead of playing like cheap gangsters who ruin the sport.
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Posted by Mendoza Sun on 06/08/2011
Isaiah,
Yes, I caught Messi sink to his knees celebrating Villa's goal. Yes, I caught Pep shout out "Messi!". And yes, my heart almost exploded when seeing Abidal lift the trophy.
These are the things that make me proud as a Barca fan, having supported the team through its rough patches during the post-Van Gaal, pre-Rijkaard era. Ever since orange first became the team's alternative color.
Here in Indonesia, Barca fans are continually abused by Man Utd fans because of their sheer number. These past few days, I've been able to walk the streets taller, and look down, sneering at those red devils.
@K: "gangsters who ruin the sport"? Your comments are typical of those who don't know football. Football is not always about endurance. And having skill means also knowing tricks other shooting or dribbling the ball.
When the other team is not trying to break their legs, Barca players are some of the few in this world who make football what it truly is: The Beautiful Game.
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Posted by IHATEBARCE on 06/10/2011
Barca are terrible. they can be beaten 4-0. If Man U played them every week Barca would never win. they have only won this time because Man U aren't used to their to-me-to-you fannying around style of play. If Giggs hadn't played so badly (at fault for the 1st and 2nd goals) then it might have been a different story. If i was a Barca fan then i would be ashamed. Shoulder charging Messi is not a foul but Barce get a free kick everytime the dwarf is shrugged off the ball. Football is a contact sport but obstruction is not allowed - see Abidal obstructing Park when the ball is more than three yards away - this should have been a Man Utd free kick. When the ref stopped play after the pitch invasion - at the time Abidal fouled Valencia - he gave Barce a free kick - this should have been a drop ball on the edge of the area if not a free kick to Man Utd for Abidal's foul. would Barce win so easily without the help of the ref?
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Posted by IHATEBARCE on 06/10/2011
Then look at the added time. In the second half there were two goals and four substitions in the 45 minutes, a 1 minute plus stoppage for a non-injury to Busquets, 45 second stoppage for the pitch invader (typical of a Barce fan to resort to such tatic to disrupt a Man Utd attack) and then a yeelow card for time wasting. How do all that add up to only three minutes? It's because they pay the referee. The tone was set in the third minute when Rafael took the ball fairly from Iniesta but the referee gave a free kick because Iniesta fell to floor. The referee couldn't see what had happended from his position but gave Barce a free kick anyway. If i were a Barce fan i wouldn't want a unfair advantage and wouldn't think we had won fairly until the bais ended. The fact is Barce are rubbish. they just play pretty football but if they had to play in a competitive league week in week out they would get battered
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Posted by IHATEBARCE on 06/10/2011
Villa's goal was rubbish. If Rooney hadn't stopped marking him and let him drift away he wouldn't have scored. With that much time and space even I can put the ball into the top corner. Boring boring Barce. And just a footbal club - nothing more - just a boring boring footbal club. It'd be interesting to see how Barce would cope if they went 1 or 2 nil down. they would fall apart. And they lose 9 out of 10 away to Stoke. if they played in England they wouldn't get the protection from the ref and they would really struggle and then they'd all start shrugging their shoulders and looking at each other all helpless and powerless and rubbish and Messi would cry and Busquets would whine and they have to try to get two or three players sent off to win anything.
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Posted by Mike on 06/10/2011
I just think it is funny how IHATEBARCE thinks Barcelona would lose 9 out of 10 away to Stoke. This team is not being called one of the best to ever play for a reason. They dominated the best in England on May 28th, how do you figure they would lose that much to a mediocre team in the Premier League? Barcelona are the best team in the world right now, and you are just an incredibly jealous fan of an inferior team. Barcelona are the champions of Europe, your club will have to deal with that.
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Posted by Mike on 06/10/2011
I meant to say that there is a reason that they are being called one of the best to ever play. They are simply dominant. Everyone else understands this and accepts it. You guys will have to realize the same. Have fun getting pummeled by Barcelona for years and years to come, morons.
Posted by lucaxurious on 06/11/2011
IHATEBARCE,dear mate. Your comment have so many 'IF'. Why dont you say if Man U have 10 lionel messi?hahahaha..say it.save your energy for typing if you only say the negative things about other teams. save it by thinking the ways to face barcelona without being fooled.
Posted by Puss on 07/06/2011
Holy Toledo, so glad I ccliked on this site first!
Posted by Patty on 07/07/2011
That's way the bestest aswner so far!
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About
Hola! I am Francesc Tomas. Barcelona is my passion and home-town team. I consider myself lucky to have regularly attended matches at the Camp Nou since the early 1980s. My cousin played for the Barça youth academy, sharing the team with Don Andres Iniesta, which gave me a clear inside view of how our club works behind the scenes. I am also the founder, editor and columnist at Barcablog.com.
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