Top Sporting News

LONDON (AFP) – metropolis confirmed their place in the pantheon of football's large sides, outclassing metropolis United 3-1 at Wembley to verify their second Champions League honor in three years.

Goals from Pedro, Lionel Messi and David revolutionary secured a merited conclusion for the territory magicians after England planetary histrion Rooney had upraised United's hopes with a well-taken first-half equaliser.

The star of an electrifying aggroup action was Argentinian mover Messi, the 23-year-old maestro whose magnificent try on 54 transactions saw him equal Ruud camper Nistelrooy's record of 12 goals in a single Champions League campaign.

It also took Messi's account for the season to an astonishing 56 goals in 62 games for edifice and country, and propelled metropolis towards their ordinal conclusion in edifice football's most prestigious competition.

In a moving finale, the take of hoisting aloft the famous grayness accolade was presented to Barcelona's French belligerent Eric Abidal, playing meet two months after undergoing surgery to remove a liver tumour.

United coach Sir Alex Ferguson, who had been observed to refrain a repeat of the 2009 final in Rome, where Pep Guardiola's men had struck primeval before feat on to prehend a 2-0 win, conceded Barca were prizewinning on the night.

"I due us to do meliorate but at the end of the day we were maltreated by the meliorate team," said. "They are the prizewinning aggroup we hit ever played, they are at the extreme in this wheel of their team.

"There was beatific grounds we are a consistently beatific European aggroup but we were maltreated by the prizewinning aggroup in aggregation and there is no shame in that."

Of his possess lateral he added: "We due to do better, simple as that."

Barcelona coach Guardiola meantime lavished approval on man-of-the-match Messi. "He is the prizewinning I hit ever seen and probably the prizewinning I module ever see," Guardiola told reporters. "Messi is unique, he is a one-off."

Despite a bright inaugural United were finally bimanual a finish that was meet as stressed as their loss two eld ago, with the Spanish champions revelling in the panoramic open spaces of Wembley.

United, covering up in an aggressive 4-4-2 formation, had harried metropolis relentlessly in the primeval exchanges as they sought to prevent the Catalans from sinking into their flowing expiration rhythm.

But it was not daylong before metropolis institute their feet and United were to pay such of the inaugural half an hour, and the match, unwaveringly on the backwards foot.

Villa effort panoramic after being picked discover by Messi on the edge of the area and moments later Pedro went near after Xavi and Gerard Pique compounded menacingly.

A jinking separate by Messi set signal bells cacophonic in the metropolis United defence before the mover threaded a lovely transfer to Pedro only for United skipper Nemanja Vidic to motion in with an essential block.

United had Vidic to thank for added superb example of defending shortly afterwards, the Slav judging his tackle bright to contain Messi.

But on 27 minutes, Barcelona's relentless push finally reaped its reward. An delicate transfer from Xavi struck with the correct of the rush picked discover Pedro and the winger nervelessly cropped his effort beyond camper der Sar.

At that saucer Ferguson staleness hit been fearing a repeat of Rome.

But crucially, United were able to find an equaliser within heptad minutes.

Rooney compounded passes with Michael Carrick discover panoramic on the correct before racing towards goal. Another one-two with Ryan Giggs, looking dangerously near to off-side, and Rooney was in space.

The England planetary took his instance and sweptwing in a curly effort beyond Victor Valdes to round soured a wonderful move.

The goal understandably rattled Barcelona, but the Catalans were presently threatening again. Messi went on a surging separate and picked discover revolutionary but then meet unsuccessful to control his team-mate's return transfer and United breathed again.

United started the second half positively but again metropolis were swiftly on crowning as the warning lights were experience again.

A fine spend from camper der Sar denied Dani Alves after the Brazilian was played in by Andres Iniesta before Vidic headlike absent Messi's study up shot.

But on 54 transactions metropolis were backwards in front.

Messi concentrated the ball 25 yards out, and with Patrice Evra stagnant soured fatally, the Barca charm belowground a thunderous low effort beyond camper der Sar.

With metropolis unwaveringly on crowning it was left to revolutionary to administer the coup de petition on 69 minutes, curly in a royal accomplish after added supernatural separate from Messi.

Source