Champions League Final: Barcelona 2-0 Manchester United

The Premier League Champions were very much the underdogs in Rome, in the final of the Champions League. They were unexpectedly, and completely outclassed by Barcelona, in a match that failed to live up to the hype. Certainly Barca were very good, but United were a shadow of the team that has achieved so much. It is not easy to criticize Sir Alex Ferguson, but playing Ronaldo as centre forward, and Rooney on the wing, didn't seem to work.

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Ronaldo can play in any position, but Rooney is an out and out centre forward. Contrary to his usual endeavors he was unable to contribute a great deal, and you were left with the feeling that he would have done much better in his usual role. There is not a player in the Premier League who tries harder than Rooney, nor is their anybody less selfish. However, he was neutralized in this game when United could have clearly done with him forcing his way down the middle. That would have left Ronaldo to play his own game, popping up where least expected and frequently scoring into the bargain.

United's best moves came in the first five minutes when it looked as though they might get on top, and stay there. In fact, they could have scored in the first two minutes, when Victor Valdes fumbled a shot from Ronaldo, and Ji Sung Park was moving onto the rebound. However, he was thwarted by Gerard Pique, who ironically had previously played for United. It seemed that Ronaldo was set to prove himself the best player in the world, when he was narrowly off target with two more shots.

The game was turned on its head, after 10 minutes, when Eto scored a good, but far from marvelous goal. Both Vidic and Van der Sar should have done better, but they didn't and the Cameroon striker drove the ball home. The rest of the game was dominated by Barca; their possession and passing was exquisite, as United began to look increasingly desperate. Rooney was marooned on the wing, and the hard working Ronaldo was left with too much to do. He is not as unselfish as Rooney about scoring opportunities, but to be fair, he had no one supporting who half looked like scoring.

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Iniesta was good for Barcelona, but it would be unjust to single him out, as they played so well as a team. If this match was to decide whether Ronaldo or Messi is the best footballer in the world, then Messi emerged as the winner. But of course he had much better support, and first Thierry Henri and then Xavi could easily have doubled Barca's lead, before he did. However, it was Messi who rose to the occasion, and fired in a header passed Van der Sar, without giving his taller opponents a look in.

So, it was Barcelona, not Manchester United ,who emerged as Champions of Europe, and possible the world. They had already won the La Liga, and the Spanish Cup but this was a night on which the United Manager and his men on the field had few answers. All that can be said is that they can, and have played much better.

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Champions League Final: Barcelona 2-0 Manchester United
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Champions League Final: Barcelona 2-0 Manchester United