Barcelona 2 Manchester United 0 - Champions' League Final

Barcelona 2 Manchester United 0

9:36pm

There's the final whistle. Barcelona are the new Champions. All congratulations have to go to them. After United's first ten minute flourish, Barcelona take a hold of this game and never relinquished it. Sometimes, United were left chasing shadows. What do United do? Answer: Pick themselves up and make a vow to get to next year's final and win the great European Cup back. In the meantime, what is Congratulations Barcelona in Catalan or Spanish?   

9:25pm

Well, with five minutes left I feel that I can relax a little. Manchester United, I'm afraid to say, are just not showing like they will even score let alone twice. Of course, we all know how they are in the last few minutes of games, though. But tonight, I just can't see it...

9:21pm

Finally, Ronaldo does get a yellow card but for a nothing foul. Barcelona players backchatting him. Gamesmanship to wind him up.

9:16pm

Ronaldo scythes into a Barcelona player. A free kick from near the corner flag... great header from Poyol but straight into Van Der Sar's hands. Ronaldo has to be careful or he'll cop it from a so far indulgent ref. Scholes is on.

 

9:13pm

Another piece of poor United defending leads to a great header from Messi. 2 - 0. This is very disappointing but you can't fault Barcelona. They have what United don't - the finishing touch. 

9:08pm

Park goes off and Berby comes on. Manchester United now have four up front!

9:06pm

As time moves on, United are gradually getting back into the game with a couple of half decent chances. Watching this game invites the same kind of tension that Roman generals must have felt as they watched their armies doing battle. Hoping for the best but not knowing how things were really going. Of course, the lack of wholesale slaughter is a slight change.

8:54pm

Good grief. A Barcelona free kick within the D of the penalty area. United are dicing with death right now... Xavi shoots, past the wall and it hits the post! Barcelona should be two up. They have blown it. We are going to win! If they won't take their chances, we, er, will...!

8:53pm

Two more chances - Eto'o and Messi. This is actually good news. Barcelona are playing us off the pitch at the moment, but this is what we were doing when the Catalans scored! Blind faith, eh?

8:51pm

Ooooh. A great run by Thierry Henry who beats Ferdinand but is stopped by Van Der Sar. We are still in this match - just.

8:49pm

And I am back! Not because I went away but the internet connection failed me. Well, Tevez has now come on. I wonder if Sir Alex is reading this blog? 

8:31pm

Half Time. After a bright start, United faded. Without being spectacular, Barcelona have more or less controlled the match since. What should United do? They need to score to renew their confidence. Or else one of the team has to step up Roy Keane like to take the team and match by the scruff of the neck. 

What about substitutions? A terrier like Tevez would surely be a great asset with his high octane energy. Or maybe Berbatov who won't get back but is a great goal scorer.

8:23pm

With seven minutes till half time, Barcelona are worth their lead. They are playng with confidence. United are skittish. I could see Barcelona scoring a second before United get their first.

8:18pm 

Barcelona playing with a very flat back four - hoping to catch United offside. A nice idea, as long as it works. When it doesn't, the striker has a free run.

8:10pm

The way some people talked about Barcelona's midfield / defence, it was like they were a team of cripples but, of course, even their second string players are good. Now they have a free kick outside the penalty area. Dangerous times.

Barca line up the free kick. They go for goal but the ball sails just wide. Phew!

8:05pm

Yet again Ronaldo shoots and misses by just a few feet. Come on guys! 

Barcas goalkeeper (Valdes) injures himself in covering his goal. He is able to continue though not to take the goalkick. Could his fitness become significant?

8:03pm

Berry is back, satisfied after some biscuits. He has settled down on the coach next to me. I can carry on blogging! Oops, I sneeze and the myrmicat takes flight. Meanwhile, Messi fires a shot of his own over the crossbar. Van Der Sar had it covered. Honest injun.

8:01pm

Pique of Barca bodychecks Ronaldo just outside the penalty area. A yellow card to the former United player. Hmm. I wonder who will take the free kick. Giggs is there too. But its Ronaldo. He gets ready... shoots, just over the crossbar! If they can keep their compsure, United are a goal waiting to happen.

7:58pm

United nervy now. Barcelona invigorated by their goal. These are going to be some dangerous minutes for the Reds.

7:54pm

Oh no! No sooner do I write that than Barcelona take the ball up front and score! Poor defending by United.

7:53pm

Ronaldo shoots across goal from within the penalty box. How much longer will United keep missing? Will Barcelona catch them on the break?

7:52pm

Ronaldo shoots for goal from 50 odd yards - and is not too far off the target either! The commentators continue the talk about Barca's midfield and defence being unpractised - injuries and suspensions hurting them. United dominating the possession so far.

7:50pm

Muggins here dashes through to the kitchen and, lo and behold, finds that Berry's food bowl is filled.

7:48pm

Berry has just come into the living room - mewing. He either wants food or my lap.

7:46pm

Some neat passing by United earns them a free kick 40 yards out. Ronaldo to take... my heart is racing... boom! The ball thunders in and out of the goalie's hands before flying over the goal. A corner. And out by Barca. Phew!

7:45pm

And we're off! Barcelona kick off.

7:44pm

The commentator says the referee had an audience with Pope Benedict today!

7:42pm

The Barca fans have cards in blue and red - the club colours. Manchester have red and white. Also seen is a seat mural 'For Sir Matt'. Sir Matt Busby, legendary United manager, who won the club her first European Cup in 1968, would have been 100 today.

 

7:40pm

The players have lined up and are about to enter the stadium. Gladiators! Half an hour's walk (ish) from the Colloseum. And the music to accompany the trophy's entrance? Now We Are Free from Gladiator!

7:38pm

A big shout out to SisterHevs who has left a kind comment underneath the Meme post. Hey, Hevs! United! United!

7:26pm

While writing the post at 7:19pm, I checked my Constantine date at Wikipedia. Earlier on I was reading the Ptolemy I Soter entry. Is it me, or are the busts of Ptolemy and Constantine really similar?

7:23pm

Eric Cantona will be interviewed after the break. Ooh-ah Cantona, ooh-ah Cantona! From his latest film, Looking for Eric: "I am not a man, I am Cantona." He remains a god of cool. 

7:19pm

The match is being played at the Stadio Olympico in Rome. I went to that stadium to see Lazio play Bologna a few years ago. I almost ended up in the Ultras section by accident. That would have been an experience. The Olympico is near the Milvian Bridge, where Constantine the Great defeated Maxentius in AD 312 to become Emperor of the Roman Empire.

7:17pm

Religious believers are usually accused of having blind faith but if the truth be told it is football fans who have a faith blinder than a bat. Just look at Newcastle United fans. And me. I am predicting a 1 - 3 win for United tonight - by half time. Rooney and a Ronaldo double. 

7:16pm

And indeed, I did mention it! See the very first entry of the post!

7:13pm

And no sooner do I upload the first entry than I see that I have committed the same grammatical error as UEFA. The League of Champions requires an apostrophe. I bet I said that when I live blogged the United - Arsenal game too. The title of this post has been amended, but the mistake remains in the first entry as a warning to self.

7:09pm

Hello all, here we are for the final of the Champions League (nee European Cup). I shall be live blogging between now and the glorious or bitter end. For any not in the know, I support Manchester United. When (ahem) we win tonight, it will be United's fourth European Cup triumph. In the unlikely event that Barcelona win, it will be their second.