UEFA Champions League Final Live Blog: Lionel Messi, Barcelona Too Much for Manchester United, 3-1 Victors at Wembley
Full time, Barca 3-1:
Three minutes added
Afellay on for Pedro
Iniesta nearly lobs VDS, but he gets back just in time.
Rooney sends a cross in after a nifty ball from Scholes, but it is cleared partially, though United has a throw on the right.
They send it all the way back to Van der Sar, and after a giveaway, Barca makes a run forward, which results in an Afellay shot to the near post, which VDS saves.
Barca knocks the ball around midfield, and it is sent deep to the United corner.
Van der Sar sends it forward, but the whistle blows. Full time. Barca are champions.
90', Barca 3-1:
Puyol on for Alves
A long header from Ferdinand finds Rooney, but he is whistled for pushing on the 50/50 ball.
Rooney slips a great ball through to Nani into the area, but Nani can't put a shot on target, and Barca partially clear.
United comes forward with another wave, but Evra's cross is too high for everybody, and they have to rebuild.
Scholes gives the ball away , and Barca can now do what they do and run the final moments out.
86', Barca 3-1:
Keita on for Villa
Yellow card -- Valdes -- time wasting
Vidic and Messi collide in midfield, and the Serbian is whistled for a foul.
Scholes finds Giggs, who sends a longball forward to Chicharito.
The Mexican gets his first touch to it while Valdes is caught out, but the keeper beats him to it before a second touch, and he clears it.
Park is called for a foul tracking back. Rooney and Nani work with some space in the Barca half. Rooney wants it in the area, but things open up for the Portugese winger, and he shoots from distance. His ball, though, is wide.
Valdes is shown a yellow card for time wasting. Villa comes off for Keita.
Busquets stays down after a collision with Valencia, but the contact was incidental. He takes his time getting off the pitch and coming up -- somewhat suspectly.
82', Barca 3-1:
Yellow card -- Valencia -- persistent fouling
United build from their own half again and Park is somehow able to find Rooney while lying on his back.
Rooney sends it to Giggs in the area, and he is cut out by Villa -- his hand actually. Giggs appeals for handball, but it would've been harsh -- his hand was in a natural position.
Valencia commits another foul and he finally receives a yellow -- that's been six or so.
Van der Sar's longball finds Rooney, and United build from their own side. They make some nice play, and Evra recieves the ball deep on the left. Eventually, though, he loses out for a goal kick -- he wanted a corner.
78', Barca 3-1:
Scholes on for Carrick -- the second of SAF's likely three offensive moves
Nani tries to take on the Barca defense, but he can't beat two defenders and Barca clear.
United has been able to take the front foot since the third goal, but they've yet to really threaten.
A longball for Rooney is too far, and Abidal clears.
Scholes has come on for Carrick -- the only United player with the technical class of Barcelona is now on the pitch.
Giggs puts pressure on Barca in their half, but all he can do is deflect a ball for a Valdes goal kick.
74', Barca 3-1: Rooney makes a run forward, but he is tripped up above the area. Nothing is given and he's quite upset about it.
Barca has a run in the other direction, but the through ball is too heavy and VDS collects it.
70', Barca 3-1:
Goal -- Villa -- 3-1
Nani on for Fabio -- an aggressive, but necessary move
Messi tries to send a through ball to Iniesta, but Valencia cuts it out. Thereafter, he concedes possession, and Barca works it for another corner.
SAF makes his first substitution, Nani for Fabio -- an aggressive tactical switch.
Just moments after the substitution, Barcelona continues their assault. David Villa is teed up at the top of the area after United fails to clear a Messi run into the area. He shoots perfectly into the top corner -- goal! Villa! 3-1 Barcelona.
66',Barca 2-1: Barca comes forward off the goal kick, and Messi is able to turn at the top of the area and find space on the left. He shoots low on target, but Van der Sar makes a good save. There is a rebound, but Vidic clears it behind for a corner.
United chases Barca all the way back to Valdes, but they cannot win the ball.
Iniesta sends a great ball to the right of the area, where Alves gets it in to Messi. He beats Van der Sar, but Fabio clears it off the line.
Barcelona continues to keep the ball effortlessly. Xavi takes a shot from distance. It's a great one, powerful and on target, but Van der Sar makes a great save -- behind for a corner.
Xavi for once, actually sends the corner in. After a partial clearance, Pedro tees up Iniesta. He gets his shot from distance on target, but it is right at Van der Sar.
62',Barca 2-1:
Yellow card -- Dani Alves -- Tackle from behind
Yellow card -- Carrick -- Poor challenge
Valencia is whistled for another foul after he clips Iniesta from behind.
He is given his last warning. Dani Alves fouls Evra in midfield, and he is given a yellow card for the blatant tackle from behind.
United has a run forward, and Hernandez lays it to Giggs on the left, but he is shielded off the ball by Alves going towards the touchline.
Carrick commits a blatant foul in midfield on Iniesta, and he's given a yellow for it -- no complaints.
Valencia sends a cross across goal, but it is too far. Rooney chases it down on the other end of the pitch, but Dani Alves covers well.
58',Barca 2-1: Valencia fouls Messi rather cynically in midfield, but no card is awarded.
United sends a longball forward for Rooney, but he cannot control it, and Barca has a run forward with space. Abidal, though is whistled offside.
Giggs sends a good ball into the area for Valencia, but he is called for a foul.
54',Barca 2-1: A longball to Rooney results in danger, as he beats Pique into the area, but Mascherano comes over to cover and wins a goal kick.
Barca are right back forward, but Iniesta, for once, sends a wasteful ball for a goal kick -- it was a through ball to nobody.
Chicharito is whistled for a foul in Dani Alves off the goal kick -- he looks pretty frustrated.
United wins possession in midfield, but after Park finds Hernandez, he runs out of room and concedes a throw on the left. Park and Giggs appeared to have switched places, with the Korean now in a central role.
Messi makes a long run, but he is cut out well by Ferdinand.
Dani Alves roves into the area down the right, and he tees up a shot, but VDS makes a wonderful save. It is deflected to Messi, but his effort is headed away for a corner.
United clears the corner well, and they are able to momentarily get the ball back in midfield, but Rooney lets it get caught in his feet, and Barcelona is right back on it.
Messi gets a shot from distance after pass from Iniesta, and he rockets one low inside the near post. He beats Van der Sar -- goal! Messi! 2-1!
49', 1-1: Neither team has made a change coming out of the half. United have proven that Barca isn't invincible, but Barca have been the better team, and they will keep the pressure on.
Mascherano gets around Park and makes a run all the way across the pitch. He crosses in and wins a corner, which brings Pique up. Still, they take it short and set up atop the final third.
A cross to Pedro in the area is sent back to the top of the box, where Busquets rockets a shot, but it is blocked. Barca keeps the pressure on, and Xavi shoots from distance, winning a corner on a deflection.
He again taps it to Messi for a short corner, and it is given back to Iniesta above the area. He tries to pick Pique out at the far post, but Vidic wins the header and is fouled by Mr. Shakira.
Half, 1-1: A Carrick through ball slips Hernandez past the defense, but Valdes easily beats Chicharito to the ball.
Messi makes one of his patented runs down the center, beating everybody. He finds Villa on the right, who centers it back to Messi in front of goal, but he is just inches away from finishing -- goal kick, another close escape.
Meanwhile, Sir Alex has come to the touchline to bark instructions to Rooney. United wins possession off the goal kick, and they come down the left through Evra, Giggs and Rooney.
An extra ball has found its way onto the pitch, and the whistle blows to stop play. United are given the ball on the restart, but VDS sends his longball out of bounds.
No time is added, and the whistle blows.
42', 1-1: A longball towards Park results in a chase between the Korean and Abidal, and Abidal shields him off by the corner flag in the end.
Rooney wins the ball off the goal kick, but he concedes in midfield and Barca have a dangerous run forward. Messi gives it to Pedro on the right of the area, but he is closed down and United get back in defense again.
Valencia commits a foul at the edge of the United final third after the clearance. Messi and Iniesta are over the ball, though it is a long ways out. They run a training ground special, a 1-2-3 into the area, but the final through ball is slightly too heavy -- still, it was a great looking play.
38', 1-1: United have gotten the all-important leveler against Barca -- the longer you go losing to the Catalonians, the more energy you expend chasing the action.
Valencia fouls Messi in midfield.
Barca comes into the final third, and United make a mess of the clearance, but Xavi's effort from distance is far off-target.
After the clearance, Barca are right back in the United half, and a longball finds Villa in the area, but it is poked away well by Ferdinand. Vidic and @Rioferdy5 have looked pretty good so far -- making multiple goal-saving tackles.
Iniesta tries his luck from distance, but VDS makes the save comfortable. United look poised to counter, but a ball towards Hernandez is just cut out.
34', 1-1:
Goal -- Rooney -- United are level!
A slight Barca miscues forces a deep throw. It finds Rooney, and he and Giggs give and go on the right of the area. Rooney sends it into the top corner past Valdes. United have leveled! 1-1!
32', Barca 1-0: United can now look forward to a dose of death by 1000 passes, as Barca is known to give when they are leading. We'll see if they have the resolve to do anything about it.
The Barca goal actually came as United was working its way back into the match. They had weathered a spell of Barca dominance.
Alves is whistled for a foul on Evra down the left, and United will have a chance to cross it in for a set piece -- perhaps where their best opportunities will come against the shorter Barca side. The ball, though, is cleared easily and Barca come right back forward.
Giggs is whistled for a foul in midfield on Messi.
28', Barca 1-0:
Goal -- Pedro -- 1-0 Barca
Hernandez has a chance forward, but his shot/pass from the edge of the area is blocked.
Still, United are creeping back into the proceedings. They make a decent incursion down the right before being cut out at the edge of the area, and Giggs sends a decent cross forward to Hernandez, but it is cut out.
United, now, has a chance to build from their own side, but VDS sends a longball forward that is won by Barca.
Xavi finds Pedro off the longball, and he beats Van der Sar at the near post from the right side of the area -- he snuck away from Giggs. 1-0 Barca.
24', 0-0: A Rio mistake opens things up for Villa in the area, but they can't quite convert, and United's defense recovers and clears.
Villa is teed up for another shot on the right of the area, but it is saved comfortably by VDS.
Vidic makes a goal-saving tackle after Iniesta releases Messi in the area -- wonderful play.
Evra's throw nearly allows Park to turn on a shot in the area, but he is closed down in the end -- United's first real positive moment since the first 10 minutes.
Barca, of course, come right back up the pitch, casually kicking the ball around. The game has nearly reached a standstill as Barca holds the ball, slowly carving through the United defense.
United, though, wins it back, but they can't keep possession and allow Barca to have a dangerous counter. In the end, Rio cuts out Messi.
20', 0-0: Barca win the ball and come right back up the pitch -- they're now thoroughly dominating.
Iniesta tries to slip in Pedro in the area, but United's defense is well spaced, and the ball goes out for a goal kick.
United makes a minor incursion up the right through Fabio and Giggs, but they eventually concede possession and find themselves on the back foot again.
The subsequent Barca wave is cut out by Vidic in the area, and thereafter Park defends Alves well -- clearing all the way back to Valdes.
Again, Barcelona sets up shop in the United half. David Villa takes a shot from distance, but his effort is wide, and VDS had it covered.
16', 0-0: Barca is beginning to settle into their usual dominance of the ball.
United finally win it, but a nice longball to Hernandez is again whistled for offside, and Barca rebuild from their own half again.
They work it forward with their typical precision, though Villa's final ball is poor, and Van der Sar collects it.
United, though, can't make it farther than midfield before conceding a throw to Barca, and Barca comes forward via a great diagonal to Alves that opens up the defense. Eventually a a cross in right in front of goal finds Pedro, but he can't finish -- United escape the first real chance.
12', 0-0: Evra and Park botch a 1-2 on the left, and Barca come forward.
After their first decent spell of possession, Giggs wins it and nearly slips a long through ball to Hernandez -- Valdes seemed confused by the situation.
Xavi finds Villa above the area, but his shot is blocked by Vidic.
Messi slips Villa into the area, but Rio cuts out Villa well -- a corner is given, though it should have been a goal kick.
The kick is taken short, and Barca retain possession for a while, though United force the ball back to Valdes. They rebuild from their own half.
8', 0-0: A longball finds Hernandez, who finds Valencia, but United is forced back into their own half -- they are possessing the ball in Barca-esque fashion so far.
Valdes clears a longball to the side for a deep United throw on the right, but Barca win the ball back. Park makes a good tackle, and a longball forward puts Hernandez offside.
United's pressure results in more possession in the final third, but another good ball from Carrick finds Hernandez a half yard offside.
Valdes sends a longball all the way to Van der Sar. He sends one right back, and nearly releases Rooney over the top, but Valdes just gets there -- close to a goal!
4', 0-0: And we're off!
Park Ji Sung begins with an encouraging moment, closing down well on Dani Alves.
United go forward, and Rooney crosses in, but right to Valdes.
The sides exchange longballs, and Carrick launches a ball right into Busquets' face.
United holds possession forward for a good spell, with Rooney nearly releasing Hernandez in the area after a run down the left from Evra.
Fabio is called for a foul on Iniesta in midfield.
2 p.m.: The team sheets for the match have been turned in, and while the starting 11 for each team is pretty much as expected, Manchester United's bench isn't the one we were expecting to see.
Dimitar Berbatov is nowhere to be seen, with Michael Owen preferred as the extra striker.
For Barcelona, the biggest surprise is perhaps that Mascherano and Abidal have both been preferred to Puyol in defense.
Lineups are as follows:
Manchester United:
Edwin Van der Sar (1), GK
Patrice Evra (3), LB
Fabio (20), RB
Rio Ferdinand (5), CB
Nemanja Vidic (15), CB
Ryan Giggs (11), CM
Michael Carrick (16), CM
Park Ji Sung (13), LM
Antonio Valencia (25), RM
Wayne Rooney (10), F
Javier Hernandez (14), ST
Substitutes:
Paul Scholes (18)
Anderson (8)
Nani (17)
Tomasz Kuszczak (29)
Darren Fletcher (24)
Chris Smalling (12)
Michael Owen (7)
Barcelona:
Victor Valdes (1), GK
Gerard Pique (3), CB
Javier Mascherano (14), CB
Eric Abidal (22), LB
Dani Alves (2), RB
Sergio Busquets (16), CM
Andres Iniesta (8), CM
Xavi (6), CM
David Villa (7), F
Lionel Messi (10), F
Pedro (17), F
Substitutes:
Thiago (30)
Olazabal (38)
Bojan (9)
Ibrahim Afellay (20)
Adiano (21)
Carles Puyol (5)
Seydo Keita (15)
8 a.m.: The champions of the world's two best football leagues, two of the last three champions of Europe, the world's best player, the world's best manager, one team looking to establish itself as among the most dominant world football has ever seen, another replete with legends hoping to leave one final indelible mark in football history -- the 2011 UEFA Champions League Final has it all.
Barcelona, arguably featuring half of the world's top 10 football players, are considered to be about 1:2 favorites to take home the trophy, though United's decided homefield advantage -- and world class talent of their own -- will surely keep them in the match, as will their desire for revenge after losing out to Barcelona in the 2009 edition of this fixture.
For Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin Van der Sar, voted tops in Europe in 1995, 2008, 2009 and 2010, this match will represent his final 90 minutes of professional football -- provided extra time isn't necessary.
Kickoff is set for 2:45 p.m. ET. Lineups will be posted when available
Hakuna maoni:
Chapisha Maoni