Samuel Eto’o and Lionel Messi shattered Manchester United’s dreams of a unique Quadruple as Barcelona claimed their third European Cup.
Cameroon hitman Eto’o was their main tormentor, scoring the first after ten minutes and supplying the ball for Xavi to set up Messi’s goal which sealed the win for the Spaniards.
The Primera Liga winners dominated the bulk of the game, with midfield duo Xavi and Andres Iniesta controlling the action in the centre of the park.
But it was United who started more brightly, Cristiano Ronaldo firing in a 25-yard free-kick which Victor Valdes could only parry before Gerard Pique slid in to brilliantly deny Ji-Sung Park’s follow up.
Six minutes later, Ronaldo was on the march again, this time shooting wide from long range. And the Portuguese winger was at it again a minute later, finding space inside the area but sending his half-volley just wide of Valdes’ far post.
The opening ten minutes were all United, but things changed when Eto’o pounced seconds later to put Barca ahead.
Andres Iniesta picked the ball up on the halfway line and beat Anderson before bursting towards the United box. He laid the ball off to Eto’o, who cut inside Nemanja Vidic to poke home past Edwin Van der Sar at the near post. It was the Spaniards’ first attack of the game and the Stadio Olimpico erupted.
Barca were now in the ascendancy and stormed forward in search of a second.
On 16 minutes, former Old Trafford defender Pique was booked for a cynical block on Ronaldo. The United ace took the free kick himself but was again frustrated as his shot sailed over the bar.
Wing wizard Messi – anonymous in the opening exchanges – then had his first effort of the game, but his 30-yard strike went over.
Ronaldo was determined to make his mark on the final but was continually forced to shoot from long range. He had his fourth opportunity of the game after 20 minutes, firing wide when it was perhaps easier to have slipped Wayne Rooney in for a chance on goal.
Spanish international midfielder Xavi then had Van der Sar scrambling to his right as he clipped a free kick inches over.
Barcelona continued to pour forward, controlling most of the possession and dictating the play. Vidic deflected the ball behind as Yaya Toure burst forward and fed Carles Puyol out wide, with Evra conceding a corner. And Pique almost doubled the Spaniards lead by scoring against his old side, although his header went inches over from the resulting set-piece.
Rio Ferdinand was then forced into an agile clearance to prevent Messi’s chip releasing Eto’o. And with seconds of the first half remaining, Messi beat John O’Shea for pace before whipping in a dangerous cross which Van der Sar spilled, but no Barcelona player was able to follow up.
The second half saw Barcelona pick up where they left off, Thierry Henry skinning O’Shea and darting into the box, but his weak effort was well saved by Van der Sar.
Sylvinho then swung in a dangerous cross which Eto’o was inches away from connecting with. United simply could not settle and looked uncharacteristically nervy at the back.
Eto’o then won possession on the halfway line and played a great ball into Messi, but the Argentinian failed to connect. And Barcelona nearly made it 2-0 on 53 minutes. The impressive Iniesta darted towards the United defence again but was fouled on the edge of the box.
Xavi took the resulting free kick but saw his 25-yard effort come back off the post with Van der Sar well beaten.
United hit back, with Rooney firing in a cross which was just too quick for the on rushing Ronaldo and Park. Henry was getting the better of O’Shea down the left and the Frenchman’s jinking run and shot saw Van der Sar save at his near post on 64 minutes.
Alex Ferguson then threw on Dimitar Berbatov in place of the ineffective Park, with United now playing three up front with Wayne Rooney just behind.
But Barcelona scored their second on 70 minutes after great work from Eto’o. The striker broke down the right, fed the ball to Puyol, who crossed to the unmarked Messi to head home totally unmarked in the six yard box.
Josep Guardiola then brought off Henry to tighten things up at the back for Barcelona, with midfield powerhouse Seydou Keita replacing the former Arsenal man.
Giggs and Ronaldo then wasted a golden opportunity to score after both failed to get proper connections on Rooney’s cross two minutes later.
Xavi’s corner was then met by Puyol who rose above the United defence to power in a header, but Van der Sar saved well.
Ferguson took off Ryan Giggs and replaced him with Paul Scholes for the last 15 minutes for his last roll of the dice. The midfielder was instantly involved, clattering Sergi Busquets and being booked for his trouble.
Puyol then broke down the right again, but Van der Sar was out quickly to smother his dinked shot.
With the game drawing to a close, the Spaniards were happy to sit back and let United have possession.
Ronaldo tried to nod a cross down to Berbatov but there were enough defenders to scramble the ball clear. Scholes then chipped the ball into the area and found Rooney all on his own – but the striker was rightly flagged offside.
Tevez nearly found space in the box but could not cut inside Pique and the ball cannoned off the Argentine for a goal kick.
It summed up a frustrating evening for the Premier League champions, who were simply outclassed by their Spanish counterparts on the night.
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