BARCELONA proved to be worthy winners of the European Cup this season with a mesmerising display that all but crushed Manchester United early this morning in Rome.
It was supposed to be a match between two of the world’s best sides, famed for their free-flowing attacking football, but as we all saw, only one side turned up. It wasn’t even a boring game where United played to negate the Barca triumvirate of Lionel Messi, Thierry Henry and Samuel Eto’o.
It just was simply a one-sided game with mesmerising (did I say that already?) football played by the Catalans.
In his post game comments, Sir Alex Ferguson said that the absence of the suspended Darren Fletcher had robbed United of its steel in midfield, although he freely admitted that Barca were the better side.
But what do you think went all so wrong for United, after a bright first 10 minutes?
WELCOME TO THE POSTMAN'S NEIGHBOURHOOD 
Congrats to Barcelona, they played really well and I would agree that the better team won. The Catalan Giants put up an impressive display to defeat United. They showed great desire for the ball and closed down really fast. This is also where Man Utd lost out.
The Barcelona players chased down every ball and Eto was putting constant pressure on Van De Sar even when the keeper held the ball. United, on the other hand, failed to display the same attitude as they simply let the loose balls go. On a day when it mattered most, the Red Devils could not live up to the occasion. The passing was awful (remember the simple back pass which became a corner). It was also due to the tireless running from Barcelona. They showed discipline in defense and closed down on the ball, giving the United players no time or space to put in good passes. The Devils could not retain possession of the ball long enough to string up any attacks.
Generally, Man Utd lost the crucial midfield battle. Xavi and Iniesta was already handful, and with Messi deployed further down to the midfield, the defending champions could not find any answers to the slick passing and skillful dribbling displayed by Barcelona. The United players were made to look like clowns as they chased after the ball in vain. It was a day where Man Utd failed to match their Spanish opponent in every aspect.
Comment by Suen Chun Lung — May 28, 2009 @ 1:55 pm
Sir Alex Ferguson got his team selection all wrong last night when he chose to start Ronaldo upfront as the lone striker supported by Park and Rooney on the wings.
MU was missing a target man and the excellent zonal marking deployed by Barcelona kept Ronaldo taking pot shots from outside the box. The 2 chances when he did manage to get away from the Barcelona defence were not taken too.
The game was won in midfield where Xavi and Iniesta were brilliant. Both of them controlled the tempo of the game and it was a beauty to watch them in tandem, releasing the attacking triumvate of Eto’o, Messi and Henry on breathtaking runs ito the MU danger area.
By the time Sir Alex decided to revert to a more traditional 4-4-2 formation, it was all over. Tevez’s introduction at HT for the ineffective Anderson and Berbatov could not penetrate the make-shift Barcelona defence who were well-marshalled by the excellent Puyol, who has now lifted the European Champions League Cup twice in the past 3 years.
Kudos goes to Pep Guardiola who kept true to his promise to deliver an attacking game from the Catalan giants right from the go. Despite an early onslaught from MU, the Red Devils never threatened Valdes in goal.
The early goal from Eto’o changed the complex of the game and from then on, there was only going to be one winner – FC Barcelona.
Comment by Luigi — May 28, 2009 @ 1:58 pm
To say that something went Wrong with Man U is a insult to Barcelona and Man U.Nothing is wrong with Man U. Barcelona are just too good this morning. Though i doubt they will be able to win if they are playing the other top 4 of EPL. Given that their style of play is just the right ingredent against Man U.
Comment by joseph — May 28, 2009 @ 3:24 pm
Xavi and Iniesta ensure Manchester United Will Never Walk Alone In Losing To Barcelona In Champions League Final In Rome.Failure to snuff out these two suppliers whose pinpoint accurate supllies resulted in E’to and Messi finished Spanish Job.
Scholes should be in First XI in Central Midfield to partner Carrick while Cristiano takes up Right Midfield and Giggs on Left Midfield with Ji Sung on Left Striker, Rooney as Central Striker and Tevez as Right Striker.
Whether an early goal is conceded, Red Devils just dish out school boys soccer and making many errors that primary school kids don’t commit them.Composure is found wanting in Red Devils.
Giving losts of space to Spanish players when they have the ball w failure to close them quickly is another factor result in Manchester United’s defeat.
Congrats to Barcelona who did the right things to win 2008/2009 Champions League.
From: Chester Low, 42 and Manchester United Fan
Comment by Chester Low — May 28, 2009 @ 5:27 pm
It was a very uncharacteristic performance by a United side who has consistently displayed their never-say-die attitude even when they are down early in the game. You could blame their gruelingly long season, their tired legs entering the penultimate game of the season or maybe a sign of mental fatigue, tired of willing themselves to win from impossible situations. Still, none of these reasons could justify the kind of performance shown in what was supposedly the perfect final of the champion’s league.
The defense was in shambles after the first goal which seemed to not only knock the wind of United’s sails but tear it to shreds as shown by the corner immediately after the following kick off. Panic and hopelessness resulted in the midfield chasing the Catalan side like a headless chicken for the ball and giving away any possesion carelessly that so meagerly came their way. With Barca’s Iniesta and Xavi bossing the midfield with ease, the dangerous attacking prowess of United were reduced to only four shots on target for the whole match.
In truth, United were outplayed and to many the real Manchester United simply did not show up.
Comment by Stefanus Ian, 18, NSman, Manchester United fan — May 28, 2009 @ 6:32 pm
Ferguson just did not get it right,he could have opt for a stronger starting line-up but instead he took tha gamble but anyway,Barca were just way too good for Man utd to stop.The pairing of Xavi and Iniesta looked unstoppable and the way Iniesta calmly took the ball right up to Man utd defence just tell us that this is going to be their day.Ronaldo and co were so weak in their attack and they does not seem capable of even bringing the ball past the midfield and the woeful defending by Man utd that could even allow Messi who seem almost impossible to score using a header.Hopefully this defeat could be a lesson that United should learn,”Don’t think you are the best,there are others that are far more superior”.
Norman Ng,14,Liverpool fan
Comment by norman — May 28, 2009 @ 6:54 pm
You got to give credit where it’s due and say Barca were the better side. In a game as big as this, the opening goal is always going to be crucial. You can see that United’s heads dropped once Eto’o scored.
So what really went wrong? 1 simple reason.
United were unlucky to face Barca! So Barca is the reason why United failed to retain the crown. Barca were way too much for the underperforming United. Now Fergie has to buy players, especially strikers…
Comment by Loh Shengli, 24, Man United — May 28, 2009 @ 7:31 pm
Wow I think this blog website is getting more and more popular. People like Jack are able to forecast quite well in the posts mentioned. Well done!
Comment by James — May 28, 2009 @ 8:48 pm
Barcelona are a fresh team but Man United look bored. Like they have been eating the same meal for breakfast over and over again. The catalans seemed ever so hungry for this piece of silverware from the start. Anderson should not have started. Park Ji Sung doesn’t tune amd groove under this kind of big occasion. Giggs look old. John O’Shea is too ordinary for Messi. Vidic was blunt. Barcelona have been even more a surprising package than Ronaldo’s freekicks.
Comment by James — May 28, 2009 @ 9:10 pm
Luck! Because when Barcelona scored it is like a sucker punch. everything went wrong just like the semi-final 2nd leg for Arsenal. If Man u scored first, things would have been different.
Comment by Original James — May 28, 2009 @ 9:45 pm
I agree with Joseph that there was nothing wrong with Man Utd. The gulf in class between Barcelona and the rest of the teams in Europe is beginning to show.
Comment by Toh Zhi Hua — May 30, 2009 @ 9:05 am
I guess the one omen that we Man Utd supporter should have looked back was how Barca slaughtered Bayern Munich. That was the sign of things to come. Sir Alex did not take the sign into account and thus sent our a light weight team and duly got humiliated. Instead of a hard midfield, he sent in Ryan Giggs, Micheal Carrick and Anderson, who are hardly hatchet men. Of course, one may argue that Darren Fletcher, if not suspended, would make an impact. However, people like Scholes should be fielded at the start, joining Rooney in the midfield. There are more than enough front men to spare.
Barca had a field day over running the soft core of Man Utd.
Mr Elvin Woo P f
55 Civil Servant
Comment by Mr Elvin Woo p f — May 30, 2009 @ 9:34 am
The gulf in class wouldn’t have been so huge had United actually shown up for the match. In my opinion, the midfield lost it for them.
Michael Carrick was awful. His passing were accurate only when facing his own goal and more often than not gave the ball away just when United struggled to win possession. His game couldn’t get going at all and in a match where United needed to starve Barcelona of possession, it is their most accomplished distributor who let them down.
Ryan Giggs, the PFA Player of the Year was running around like a headless chicken not knowing exactly where his position was. Starting out as a support striker, he drifted to the left, drifted to the right, sat in holding midfield, went up as an out-and-out striker, but barely had 50 touches all game. Alot was expected of United’s captain to inspire them, but he was overran by the more youthful and determined Barcelona midfield.
Anderson was anonymous throughout his 45 minute cameo. He barely challenged for the ball, hardly closed down Xavi and Iniesta, and didn’t look as if he was on the pitch. Had he not possessed his flowing dreadlocks, one wouldn’t even realised he was playing. His trademark energetic game was missing, just as the Red Devils needed steel.
United were outclassed by Barcelona, but had their trio of midfielders actually turned up, the result could have been very different.
Lim Jun An, 19, Student
Comment by Lim Jun An — June 1, 2009 @ 5:28 pm
What went wrong was Sir Alex’s tactics. He started with 4-3-3? But how did he position his players in front? Rooney on the left, Ronaldo centre and Park on the right?
We all know Cristiano Ronaldo is a winger. He’s deadly on the right, maybe left too but centre? No, sir. Ronaldo can’t play as a centre-forward. Wayne Rooney can’t play as a winger too. So it got a lot to do with the wrong positions of the players.
You all saw how Barcelona pass the ball in circles round the United’s midfield. The reason was Carrick and Anderson were totally outclassed by Iniesta and Xavi. And what was Ryan Giggs doing in the middle of the pitch? Nothing.
Sir Alex got it all wrong with his tactics.
Qyaerus-Syahrein, 27, student, Chelsea fan
Comment by Alex Hart — June 1, 2009 @ 6:27 pm