Wednesday May 27, 2009; Champions League Final.

Barcelona 2 Manchester United 0

Barcelona: Valdes, Puyol, Toure Yaya, Pique, Sylvinho, Xavi, Busquets, Iniesta (Pedrito 90), Messi, Eto'o, Henry (Keita 72).

Man Utd: E.Van der Sar, J.O'Shea, R.Ferdinand, N.Vidic, P.Evra, Anderson (C.Tevez 45), M.Carrick, R.Giggs (P.Scholes 75), J.S.Park (D.Berbatov 66), C.Ronaldo, W.Rooney.

Manchester United were defending their Champions League title in this massively anticipated game and looked like champions in a confidently dominant start. Moving swiftly forward with sure, incisive passing they had Barcelona penned back from the first whistle and looked capable of scoring at any time.

Typically neat passing saw United move dangerously towards the Barcelona penalty area and the attack was only halted when Anderson was deliberately blocked off thirty yards from goal.

Ronaldo obviously fancied his chances and sent in one of his wobbly specials that, having actually missed the wall, was too hot for Valdes to handle and Park must have thought he had scored as he reached the rebound first but his lunging shot was deflected over the bar by a defenders' outstretched leg and United had to settle for a corner.

This put both United and Ronaldo in the mood and the winger cum forward was soon trying his luck from long range again with an effort that wasn't far wide.

Ronaldo came closer still after a superb left wing move which involved Anderson and Rooney but owed most to Patrice Evra and when the centre came in Ronaldo took a touch on his chest before firing a left footed volley inches wide of the far post.

Nothing had been seen of the Barcelona attack in the first ten minutes but a sloppy header by Carrick saw Iniesta suddenly darting forward dangerously and when he slipped the ball through to Eto'o the striker was able to cut back inside Vidic far too easily before poking his finish past Van der Sar from point blank range with Carrick desperately trying to recover the situation.

This was an obvious blow to United but nobody could have anticipated just how big it would be. From being totally dominant they immediately became tense, unsure and somewhat frantic in their attacking efforts while Barcelona became increasingly serene in their passing.

The tension was betrayed immediately as Vidic sent a back pass miles away from Van der Sar, under no pressure, and United were lucky to escape as Barca tried an inventive corner routine.

United were still able to threaten, however, and when Giggs gave Ronaldo the chance to run at Pique one on one the defender could only crudely block off his run just outside the area. The yellow card was inevitable, you could have argued the case for it being red.

The free kick favoured a left footer but it was still disappointing to see Giggs actually given preference and his shot, predictably, wafted harmlessly over the bar.

The two main men in the build up to the game then traded blows with Messi firing a vicious drive just over at one end before Ronaldo wriggled out of a challenge to drill a low thirty yarder wide of the post at the other.

There was no doubt that Messi, along with Iniesta and Xavi, was becoming increasingly influential while Ronaldo and his colleagues were being forced closer to the borders of the game.

Barcelona's passing was now far more assured than United's but it should also be noted that their pressing game was much more pronounced and concerted and one factor no doubt contributed to the other.

Xavi came close from a free kick conceded by Anderson, who was fighting a losing battle with Carrick against a Barcelona midfield that came in waves of four and sometimes five, and the shift in impetus was clearly indicated when Toure was able to carry the ball deep into United territory before finding his full back, Puyol, storming forward likewise to win a corner.

Once again United were at full stretch to clear the corner and there was now little conviction in anything they did. While Carrick and Anderson clearly had their work cut out they were at least trying to stem the flow of Barcelona possession. Giggs was a complete passenger and Park almost as anonymous. Rooney was now finding himself consistently going backwards on the left hand side and Ronaldo was an isolated spectator up front.

Messi demonstrated his growing confidence with a fine break down the left and Van der Sar was just about able to deal with his low centre to ensure that United reached half time only one goal in arrears. Despite their excellent start they could be grateful that the deficit was still manageable.

Half Time: Barcelona 1 Manchester United 0

United had reached half time clearly second best and being passed to death in midfield. Alex Ferguson obviously had work to do and eveybody would have been hoping for some inspiration from the man in charge.

What we got was surely the most wildly optimistic substitution of all time. Rather than look to shore up the midfield and try to ensure a share of possession Ferguson withdrew Anderson and sent on Carlos Tevez.

Theoretically this was an attacking move but you need the ball to attack and it was impossible to see how United were going to get it now with Giggs dropping back to accompany Carrick in central midfield.

Sure enough it was Barcelona who started as they had left off, attacking with ever increasing confidence and regularity. Henry was found in space and skipped round Ferdinand before seeing Van der Sar save with his legs at the near post and when Giggs presented Eto'o with the ball just outside his own area the striker was inches away from finding Messi in front of goal.

It was telling that Tevez's first contribution came in conceding a free kick right on the edge of his own area as Iniesta threatened to glide through the entire United defence and it required the post to keep out Xavi's low shot.

United finally managed a little burst of pressure as a superb centre from Rooney, now on the right, evaded Park at the far post, Carrick's through ball for Rooney was just too strong and then Rooney saw his cross deflected behind after another decent break.

In general, however, United were squandering possession far too cheaply, often in dangerous areas, and simply could not test Valdes while Van der Sar's involvement was increasing by the minute.

United's keeper saved from Henry at his near post but was powerless to intervene when Xavi clipped in a precise centre to the far post and Messi rose well to direct the header back across goal into the far corner.

This was beautifully created and executed but came about because United had twice gifted possession back to Barca within range of their goal in the space of ten seconds.

To have any hope of pulling this chestnut out of a roaring fire a tired and slightly demoralised United side needed a quick response and almost found one. Berbatov, on for Park, got away down the right to centre but both Giggs and Ronaldo found their shots blocked in front of goal and the remaining twenty minutes became a painful exercise in Barcelona possession with Van der Sar standing in the way of further Barcelona goals.

While the United goalkeeper was saving from Iniesta and Puyol, among others, all United had to offer was a crude foul by Scholes, finally replacing Giggs, and a couple of childish barges from Ronaldo which gave ultimate Spanish arsehole Puyol the opportunity to ham it up to maximum irritation levels.

The final whistle came as a mercy to United who had completely lost their way after starting in such imperious fashion. Credit obviously has to go to Barcelona who were hugely worthy of their victory but questions must be asked about United's feeble response to going a goal down.

Barcelona accepted the early bonus of Eto'o's goal (is that punctuation legal?) with relish and proceded to put on a dazzling display of football which was centred around outstanding passing and movement but included moments of extreme individual brilliance.

United simply capitulated despite the fact that they had started the game superbly. From building up moves swiftly and precisely they began hitting more and more hopeful early balls forward which simply gave Barcelona the ball back and their formation became increasingly difficult to fathom with each of Ferguson's substitutions.

The most telling sight of the night was that of the ultimate warrior Rooney, who had been shifted from pillar to post but never really allowed to play in his normal position, looking like a man who had surrendered; frustrated and impotent on the right wing.

Ferguson can point to many occasions this season when such improvisations have worked but here, against a team of absolute quality, his decisions and his team imploded.

Full Time: Barcelona 2 Manchester United 0